


The New Kid

by FinnHudsonGlee



Category: Glee, X Factor (UK) RPF
Genre: Army, Graduation, Homelessness, Post-Graduation, Prom, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 138
Words: 341,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27460219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FinnHudsonGlee/pseuds/FinnHudsonGlee
Summary: What would happen if, in junior year, rather than Sam being the new kid, it was a previously homeless Finn? Will he help the Glee club make it to Nationals? Will his horrific past catch up with him? Or will he finish high school successfully and find love? Will he make it to college? Sorry I suck at summaries. Just read it. I swear it's good.
Relationships: Finn Hudson/Original Female Character(s), Mike Chang/Tina Cohen-Chang, Quinn Fabray/Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry/Jesse St. James, Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

_**CHAPTER 1** _

It was the first day of sophomore year, and Quinn was getting ready to leave for school. She was currently the HBIC - the most popular girl in school. She was the Head Cheerio, and every guy in school wanted to be with her, and every girl wanted to be her. She parked her car in the small parking lot and walked into the hall. The students parted like the red sea when she walked down the hallway, and her best friend and fellow Cheerio, Santana Lopez, approached her.

"Hey Q, how was your summer?" She asked.

"Not too bad. Italy was nice, but it was really hot and humid." Quinn replied. Her parents were pretty religious Christians, and they spent a lot of the time in various churches and Cathedral. "What about you?"

"I didn't do anything. It was really boring. I got laid like every day. It was just too easy."

Quinn rolled her eyes at her friend. Santana had always been a bit slutty, the exact opposite to Quinn. "We need to go to Glee club." She said and they walked off. They had both joined the school's show choir the year before, something that was extremely fun, even though it was completely against their social image. Glee club was the least popular activity in the school, but they did it anyways, as it was fun, and the people were really nice. They entered the room, and everyone was already there.

"Quinn! Santana! How are you guys?" Mercedes asked, giving her friends a hug. Although a lot of the Glee kids were geeks, when they were around each other, their social status didn't matter.

"Pretty good, how about you?" Quinn asked. The eleven of them spent the next couple of minutes catching up before Mr. Schuester, the leader of the club, walked in. He smiled at them.

"Hey guys! You have good summers?" He asked. They all nodded, and they chatted with the teacher for the next little while. One of the things that Quinn loved about the Glee club was how close they were, even with Mr. Schuester. He was an incredibly nice person, and genuinely cared about each and every one of them.

"So guys," Mr. Schuester said, his smile fading. "Matt has transferred to Atlanta, so we have 11 people right now and we're one person short of the amount we need to compete in Sectionals." The New Directions - the McKinley Glee Club - were competing in the National Show Choir Competition. They had not even made it past the first round - Sectionals - let alone Regionals or Nationals. The main reason for this was that they were lacking a male lead. Puck, Sam and Artie were all OK singers, but not nearly at the level of some of the other school's male leads.

"We're screwed, it's not like we have people lining up to join." Puck said.

"Yeah, Puck's right. We're the losers of the school. Nobody in their right mind would actually even consider joining us!" Kurt exclaimed.

"I mean, I know we don't have much choice, but if we can, we need a male lead. Our male vocals are already pretty weak, and now Matt's gone as well." Rachel said.

"Wow, Rachel, just as nice as always," Sam remarked and rolled his eyes. Although Rachel could be a little bit insensitive, overdramatic and diva-like sometimes, Sam was the real jackass of the group. He was the school quarterback (a terrible one though!) and he was one of the most popular jocks in the schools. Him and Quinn had dated briefly last year, and he was an asshole and cheated on her, so they broke up after two months.

"Guys, enough!" Mr. Schue said, almost lazily. "Just all of you keep a look out for anyone who has any kind of musical quality. We need one more person, and it's not like someone's going to fall in our laps."

Meanwhile, in Principal Figgins' office, Finn was filling out final paperwork for his transfer to McKinley. He was canadian, and had just transferred from Canada. He had a very, very rough childhood. Finn's birthname was Ronan Farrow and his dad was an ex-Canadian Armed Forces, and suffered from severe PTSD because of it. He left on a four year tour when Finn was 2, and returned when Finn was 6. When he returned, he refused to get help for his PTSD, and started to get abusive. He would constantly beat, whip and he would also burn 6 year old Finn with cigarette butts. He often left for days at a time, and would come back extremely drunk, or sometimes under the influence of drugs as well. Eventually, Finn's mom couldn't take it anymore. 5 months after his dad had returned, Finn walked home from school and into the dining room to see his mom hanging from the chandelier. She hadn't even bothered to write him a final message or suicide note.

After his mom's death, any filter that Finn's dad, Jack, had that held him back from severely damaging him, went out the window. Finn's dad would beat him with a baseball bat, smash beer glasses on him, as well as many other forms of abuse. If Finn was any older, he would have been able to fight back, but he was only 6 so was not able to do anything. Finally, Jack went one step too far…

One day, a couple of weeks before Finn's 7th birthday, Jack came home, hammered. Finn was meant to be asleep, but instead was cleaning the house of all of the cigarette butts and empty alcohol bottles. His dad was fuming when he saw Finn awake, and grabbed his son, and threw him across the room. Although Jack was drunk, he was also ex-Army so he was very strong. Finn came crashing down onto the glass coffee table, shattering it to pieces and shard of glass impaling Finn. To his dad's credit, Jack called an ambulance and Finn was taken to hospital. However, the working story was that Finn had tripped over when playing with a ball, and fell onto the coffee table.

Two weeks later, when Finn was finally discharged from the hospital, he had enough. He ran away from home, and hadn't been back since. He lived on the streets, begging for money, no belongings on him except the clothes on his back, and his guitar. Up until the age of ten, he would just sit at major intersections and beg for money. However, when he got older, he would steal or pickpocket cash. However, he would never take credit cards as he didn't want to be tracked down by the police. He would also busk with his guitar as he had gotten really good at singing and playing guitar at this point. Finn was able to stay relatively smart, as he would also steal textbooks from used textbook shops. He always felt a bit bad about this as the books were meant for the less fortunate, however he was homeless, and basically parentless, so if anyone deserved them, it was him. He had the same logic when stealing clothes from used clothes stores. Finally, six years later, when he was 13, everything changed…

He was walking back to the bridge he was living under after a long day of begging and busking. He had made just 50 Canadian dollars that day and he was starving. He had gotten used to the concept of hunger as, other than during Christmas when people were extra giving, he was never able to eat enough. When he arrived at his temporary shelter, there were two police officers standing there. Finn was a bit worried. He had developed a backstory at this point in time. He looked nothing like he did when he was 7. He hadn't had a haircut in ages, so had pretty long hair. He had burned his fingerprints off so he had no form of ID. He decided on creating a brand new name: Antoine Gobert. He spoke fluent french and pretended to be from Quebec so that the police couldn't track him back to his actual hometown of Edmonton. The police weren't able to find any identification, so they put him in foster care. He spent the next five months in a group home, which was absolutely terrible. During the six years on the street, he was constantly jumped and mugged by other homeless people, and was often beaten up to a pulp. Being in a group home was no different. All of the people there were very rough guys, and there were a group of 18 year olds who would beat up the other kids. While he was on the streets, Finn learnt how to fight, and was able to fight off any gang that tried to jump him.

5 months later, he was adopted by a woman called Carole Hudson. She had just lost her husband to cancer a few months before, and she took Finn in. At this point, Finn was pretty emotionally unstable, and needed serious therapy for all of the terrible experiences he had been through. Carole was the kindest person Finn had ever met, and she had paid for him to get all of the help he so desperately needed. Little did he know but he had also helped give meaning back to Carole's life after she had lost her husband. They lived in Toronto for two years, before Carole's job transferred them to Lima.

Finn was signing some documents when a woman in a tracksuit walked into the room. Finn already knew what kind of person the lady was. She acted like she was lord of the universe as a way of expressing the limited power she had in the grand scheme of things.

"Listen up, fresh meat! Unless you want to be bullied and your life to be at risk, DON'T JOIN THE GLEE CLUB!"

He turned towards her and smiled politely. He already knew that he really disliked her. "Thanks, but I think I'll take my chances," He said. She scowled at him and stormed out the room. Finn rolled his eyes and turned towards Principal Figgins again.

"Alright let's finish your paperwork and I'll take you on a tour." He said. Finn nodded and they both left the office together. Finn was shown the athletics field, ice hockey rink, basketball court, gym, auditorium, choir room and basic classrooms. At the end of the tour, Principal Figgins took Finn to a spanish classroom, where a brunette, male teacher was standing at the front. The students all looked wildly uninterested.

"Class… This is Finn Hudson. He's new so please make him feel welcome. Finn, here's the rest of your schedule." Mr. Figgins said and smiled. Finn shook his hand and shook the Spanish teacher's hand.

"Finn, nice to meet you. I'm Will Schuester, I'm the Spanish teacher and Glee coach. Please, take a seat next to Puck." He said. Puck raised his hand and Finn walked over and sat down.

"Sup." Puck nodded his head.

"Hey." Finn said and turned his attention to the class.

"He's hot." Kurt whispered to Mercedes, raising an eyebrow. Kurt was the only openly gay kid in McKinley, and got a fair bit of bullying because of it.

"You know, I actually agree with you there," She said. Kurt eyed him and smiled.

Finn was doodling randomly on a sheet of paper, as French was very similar to Spanish so he knew most of the stuff already. Ten minutes into the lesson, Puck took out his phone and started texting. Mr. Schuester noticed Puck's actions, and walked over to the two of them.

"Puckerman, give me the phone… and you get detention after class." Mr. Shue said, firmly.

"Is there any way I could make it up another time? We have football tryouts today!" Puck begged. Finn immediately thought of a way he could help out the frustrated guy beside him.

"Uhm, Mr. Shcuester it's my phone, actually. Puck offered to put in his number in case I need help with anything, cause I'm new to the country and all." Finn lied. Mr. Shue nodded, and everyone looked at Finn. He had come from a different country, but didn't seem to have an accent. Was he British? Australian? Canadian? Newzealander?

"Alright I'll let it slide. Put it away." Mr. Schuester said. When Mr. Schuester had turned back around to face the front of the room, Puck turned his head and smiled at the guy next to him.

"Thanks bro."He pounded his fist.

"Anytime."Finn replied.

"So, where did you come from? You said you moved all the way from out of the country?" Puck asked in disbelief.

"Yes, believe it or not, there's a whole world outside the US border!" Finn remarked, sarcastically. Puck rolled his eyes.

"Come on, where, actually?" Puck persisted.

"Canada, so not even that far away." Finn replied.

"Damn you moved all the way from Canada why?" Puck asked.

"My Mom's job got transferred here so she and I packed up everything and moved out here." Finn explained.

"Damn. Well I got your back since you had mine. Want my advice, try and hook up with the cheerios. That'll be your ticket to popularity." Puck said. Finn laughed and shook his head.

"I'll pass." Finn said. "But one thing though, you said you have football tryouts tonight. Can anyone try out?"

"Well, yeah. A LOT of people get cut. Like 50 guys got cut last year. And your chances of getting into the team will depend on the position you're trying out for. What position do you play?"

"Ummm… Quarterback." Finn said and Puck nodded.

"Well, if you know how to play, I guess you have a decent chance of making the team. Our current QB SUCKS! Coach Beiste is very strict though."

Finn nodded. "Well, would I be able to try out tonight? I really like playing football, and I'm pretty ok at it."

"Well, sure. Just come to the field at 5 tonight. Good luck. I play wide receiver so it's not like we're gonna be competing."

The ball rang soon after, and the rest of the day passed pretty quickly. Soon, Finn was decked in full pads and was among almost 100 guys between the ages of 15 and 18. They started with a run as a fitness warmup, to weed out the less fit people. Finn was one of the first to complete the warmup: he was in incredible physical shape as he needed to become strong from a very young age. Coach Beiste noticed him as he was warming up. He looked different to everyone else. He looked like someone who wasn't the same kind of typical jock like the others were. She could already tell that he was in great shape, and would make a very good addition to the team, no matter what position he was trying out for. After the warmup, ten people had been cut from the team, and then the remaining candidates were split into groups, based on the position they were trying out for. Finn learnt that there were 6 other guys trying out for the Quarterback position and 2 would make it - one starting and one back-up QB. In these groups, each group would participate in drills that tested skills specifically for their position. Finn had by far the best throwing ability. He could throw 5 times further than any of the other guys, and had near perfect accuracy. After these drills, there were around 65 guys left. There were 4 QBs left: two of whom would be cut. They then started playing a game. Coach Beiste would watch them all play, and assess their performances. When Finn was subbed on, he started by picking easy passes and steadily gaining yards. At one point, the rushing plays that the team had attempted for the first 2 downs had left Finn at 3rd and 20. Finn needed a hail mary pass and decided on a Wasp play. It was developed by Kansas City Chiefs and it required an extremely fast receiver. The play involved a long pass for about 60 yards. They broke from the huddle and got into position. Finn started the play and grabbed the ball. The receivers immediately took off and his eyes followed Puck. Finally, once the receiver had lost his marker, Finn threw the ball. It was a bullet pass and it sailed for more than 70 yards. Puck easily caught the ball and ran the final ten yards for a touchdown. Coach Beiste was extremely impressed. Now this Quarterback I can work with, she thought. Both Finn and Puck made the team and, to Finn's surprise he was made captain. A guy with blonde hair was made back-up QB and he did not look happy at all. He was supposedly the Quarterback from last year.

Finn left the locker room that day feeling satisfied with his first day of high school. He had made the football team! Although he had spent two years in a private school in Canada, the concept of being a member of a team/school felt strange to him as he didn't have that experience at all between age 7-13.


	2. Chapter 2

In Glee rehearsal on Monday, the Glee club were chatting and waiting for Mr. Schuester to arrive.

"I still can't believe Coach Beiste made me back-up QB!" Sam spat. Puck and Mike laughed at him.

"Well, believe it, man. The QB is soooooo much better than you!" Puck said. Sam scowled at him, and moments later, Mr. Schuester walked into the room with a huge smile on his face.

"Guys, guys, guys, I have news. We have someone auditioning today!" Mr. Shue exclaimed.

"You got someone?" Kurt asked, astonished.

"Well, let's not get our hopes up! People auditioning for Glee club are very, very slim picking, so he's probably a geek who wears glasses, sweater vests and has his hair combed back" Santana announced, basically giving an exact description of Artie. They all realised this and they looked at her, and then Artie, and then back at her.

"HEY!" Artie yelled, indignantly.

"Such a strong argument!" Mike remarked. "Just face it, Artie, you're a geek, but we love you for it!" Mike put his arm around his friend. Tina rolled her eyes at both of the guys' banter and then turned to face Mr. Schuester.

"So, who's the guy?" Tina asked.

"He's new to the school this year. His name's Finn Hudson" He said, still smiling wildly.

"Finn? What kind of name is that? I bet you guys 10 dollars that he's a mega nerd." Santana said. Just then, Finn walked into the room, and the room suddenly got a little bit hotter, especially for the girls.

"Hey guys." He said. Santana raised her eyebrow and smirked at him. She had already locked him into her crosshairs as her next hookup.

"Well, hello sexy." She licked her lips.

"You're the guy who saved me in Spanish class. And you basically carried me during football tryouts Thanks bro!" Puck shouted. Finn nodded at him and looked around and saw Quinn just staring at him.

"He's really hot."Santana whispered in Quinn's ear.

"Yeah, I actually agree with you." Quinn agreed with her friend and she shifted in her seat slightly.

"So, Finn, why did you want to audition for Glee. It's not like it helps with popularity" Mr. Shue asked him. Finn smirked.

"Honestly, a couple of days ago, on my first day in McKinley, I was filling out some documents, and this lady walked in and tried to convince me not to join the McKinley Glee Club."

Mr. Schuester rolled his eyes. "I think I know exactly who you're talking about."

"Yeah, she's tall, wears tracksuits, she's a bit of a… how do I put this delicately?" Finn said.

"A bitch?" Mercedes suggested. Finn laughed and nodded.

"Well, yeah. And when someone tells me I can't do something, I just have to do it anyways. It's like second nature."

Mr. Schuester nodded. "Alright, Finn. You have one song to impress us. What will you be singing?"

"Ummm… I'm gonna sing Life on Mars by David Bowie if that's okay?"

Mr. Schue looked surprised at Finn's song selection. A normal high school student would never pick that kind of song. Little did he know how abnormal of a person Finn really was.

"Good luck. No pressure." Rachel smirked. Finn raised his eyebrow and the accompaniment started playing.

_It's a God-awful small affair_

_To the girl with the mousy hair_

_But her mummy is yelling no_

_And her daddy has told her to go_

_But her friend is nowhere to be seen_

_Now she walks through her sunken dream_

_To the seat with the clearest view_

_And she's hooked to the silver screen_

_But the film is a saddening bore_

_For she's lived it ten times or more_

_She could spit in the eyes of fools_

_As they ask her to focus on_

Santana and Brittany stood up and started dancing in front of everyone. Santana smiled and walked over to Finn.

_Sailors fighting in the dance hall_

_Oh man, look at those cavemen go_

Quinn smiled and enjoyed Finn's fantastic performance. He was amazing - he had an incredible voice.

_It's the freakiest show_

_Take a look at the lawman_

Rachel smiled as he sang. "This guy is gonna be our ticket to Nationals. He and I are going to control this glee club." She said to herself.

_Beating up the wrong guy_

_Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know_

_He's in the best selling show_

_Is there life on Mars?_

Finn held the final note for a while and at the end of the song, the eleven members of Glee club, as well as Mr. Schuester, erupted in cheers and applause. "Great Job Finn!"

"So What do you guys think?" Finn asked, looking at everyone.

"IT'S DEFINITELY A YES!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Yes," Rachel said.

"Hell yeah!" Puck and Mike said.

"No way!" Sam snapped. Everyone turned towards him in surprise. Finn had vaguely recognised the blonde when he walked into the room, but didn't know from where. Suddenly, he realised. It was the old starting QB and current back-up QB. Finn felt kind of bad for him.

"Why not?" Santana asked in disbelief.

"He's just not Glee quality," Sam said. Puck raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Sam. He's better than all of us. You're just bitter that he's taken your job as QB and now your job as male lead!" Puck said.

Mr. Schue smiled at Finn. He knew that Finn could literally be the answer to his prayers, and could be the person that helps them make it to Regionals, and maybe even Nationals.

"Welcome to Glee club Finn! It's really great to have you. You're an amazing singer! We may well be able to make it past Sectionals thanks to you." He said. "Please, have a seat." Finn nodded and sat down in the corner of the room, next to Quinn. She turned to him.

"Quinn Fabray… Head Cheerleader and most popular in school." Quinn smiled. Finn nodded his head.

"Cool." Finn murmured, not really impressed. Quinn raised her eyebrow and looked at him.

"You fucking asshole! You can't just walk into McKinley and become the male lead and the QB!" Sam declared. Finn looked at him with pity in his eyes. Despite the fact that the guy seemed like a jerk, Finn felt bad. In one week, he had taken both Sam's role in the Football team, and his role in the Glee club.

"Look, man, I'm sorry. But it's not my fault. And anyways, you're still on the football team, and I sure as hell didn't replace you in Glee club given that I don't know crap about show choirs."

"Hey man, let's take this outside!" Sam growled. "Let's fight it out. If I win, you leave and never fucking come back!"

Everyone's eyes widened, but Finn just looked bored. He stood up and faced the blonde. It was then that Sam realised that fighting Finn would be a bad idea. He was 6'4 and almost 200 pounds of pure muscle.

"Look, man. I'm not gonna fight you, purely because I don't want to be paying for you to be on life support for the next year. You got problems with me being here, you take it up with Coach Beiste or Mr. Schue. And by the way, get a fucking haircut. You look like a hermaphrodite."

Finn said this without any hint of anger in his voice. He was just speaking with blunt honesty and everyone burst out laughing. Sam stormed out the room. Glee rehearsal ended 10 minutes later, and they all started to get up and leave. When Finn was about to leave, Santana grabbed onto his arm.

"Ooh, that's big," She smirked, squeezing his bicep. "So, Hudson, maybe you wanna take me out to Breadstix tonight?" Santana asked. Finn looked at her, confused.

"What's Breadstix?" He asked.

"The most popular restaurant in Lima." She smiled.

"Sorry, I think I'll pass." Finn said.

"I'll see you around then, sexy." She winked and blew a kiss at him. Finn raised his eyebrow. Quinn smiled sympathetically at him.

"Sorry about Santana, she's sort of a… freelancer on relationships." Quinn said and Finn laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed! I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Finn asked.

"Quinn, and I'm sure you wanna know all about me." Quinn purred at him and did a quick spin. Finn looked up at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Wow, people weren't kidding about Canadians being more hospitable than Americans. In the past two hours, I've been guited for ruining someone's high school life, challenged to a fight, hit on by Santana, and then whatever you just did. It was nice meeting you." Finn said, and started to walk out the door, but Quinn stopped him.

"You're not attracted to the most popular, beautiful girl in school! What are you gay?" Quinn asked. Finn looked at her and took a step back.

"Nope, I'm straight and yeah, you're kinda hot I guess. But I'm not attracted to you, cause I just met you. I don't know anything about you, other than the fact that you just tried to flirt with me. You could be a sociopath for all I know, not that I'd judge you if you were. So why should I be attracted to you?" Finn asked.

"BECAUSE I'M HOT! LOOK AT ME!" Quinn yelled. Finn covered his ears and rolled his eyes.

"I can see you," Finn said, still staying very calm. "But looks mean nothing to me. Personality is what matters. And frankly, I didn't really get a great first impression of yours. So can I please leave?" Finn asked. Quinn looked at him and nodded. Finn walked around her and left the room. Her eyes followed him as he walked down the hallway. She already knew that Finn was different to any of the guys she had ever dated before, and definitely wanted to learn more about him.

A couple of hours later, Quinn was sitting in Mercedes' room and they were gossiping. Mercedes and Quinn were relatively close friends, even if Quinn ignored her and the rest of the Glee geeks when they were in school.

"Finn is soooooo weird! He doesn't think I'm attractive! Like, is there something mentally wrong with him? Is this thing on?" Quinn ranted and gestured to her own body. Mercedes laughed.

"Quinn, you're a beautiful girl. And Finn Hudson certainly is a different type of guy. So mysterious and dreamy." Mercedes sighed and she had a look of longing on her face.

"You like him too?" Quinn asked and laughed.

"I liked him when I saw him walking towards his locker wearing his plaid button up and tommy Hilfiger jeans." She said.

"In case you didn't notice, he also had a motorcycle helmet in his hand. I didn't realise that bikers were your type of guys.

"Hey, one bad apple doesn't paint the whole tree! Finn could be different to the others!" Mercedes argued.

"He said that he doesn't know me, and he isn't attracted to looks. Like what the hell is that?" Quinn complained.

"Maybe he's traumatized by a past love." Mercedes asked. "He seemed to give me the impression that he was hiding something. Like he had some kind of secret."

"I honestly don't know, Kurt. The only thing I learnt about him in 2 hours is that he's from Canada, and he's straight. But one thing I do know is that I think I wanna get to know him."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Finn woke up early the next morning, and rode to school on his motorcycle. He parked in the car park and then locked a chain around the back wheel to secure the bike. He then walked into the school, and threw his helmet in his locker. He then walked to the gym, where the football team had their first morning gym session. Finn started with the bench press, and loaded a whopping 250 pounds onto the bar.

"Jesus Christ, Finn! There's no way in hell you can lift that," Puck, Finn's spotter, commented. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Wanna bet?" Finn smiled and sat down. He then grabbed the bar, and managed twenty reps, before putting the bar back on the rack. Puck's jaw dropped. Finn was insanely strong. Coach Beiste walked into the gym while Finn was doing this, and she nearly spat out the water she was drinking. Finn was benching more than a lot of NFL players could. She ran over to them.

"Slow down, son! You can't be busting up your shoulder before the start of the season!" She said. Finn shook his head.

"It's fine. I can bench like 50 pounds more than this. I just do 250 for reps."

Her eyes widened. "Well, make sure if you feel any discomfort, please just stop," She said. Finn nodded and she walked away. After the workout, Finn, Puck and Mike went to Glee rehearsal. Sam came shortly after. They sat down in the seats and waited for Mr. Schue to arrive. All of the others arrived beforehand, and the football guys were the last to arrive. Mr. Schue arrived quickly after and he stood at the front of the class, smiling.

"Hey guys, are you ready for your first assignment?" Mr. Schue asked. They all nodded.

"Are we starting Sectionals prep?" Rachel asked.

"Not yet, Rachel. Calm down. We still have a few months. Our first assignment is a duet assignment. But, rather than letting you guys pick who you want to work with, like we normally do, we are going to leave this up to chance. I have written all of the girls' names on slips of paper, and have put them in this bag. Guys, stand up and take one of the girls' names out from the bag. All of the duets will perform during next week's rehearsal. OK, Puck, come to the front first."

Puck walked up to the front and dug his hand into the opaque bag. He opened the slip of paper and read out the name.

"Brittany." He called. She looked at him.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Brittany asked, looking up. She had absolutely no idea what was going on. Puck sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Kurt!" Mr. Schue called. Kurt drew a name from the bag.

"Rachel," He muttered. Kurt and Rachel didn't get along very well, mostly because their personalities were very extremely similar.

"Mike…"

"Santana." Mike reluctantly walked over to her. Everyone knew who he wanted to be paired with - Tina. The two of them were very close to getting together, and the whole Glee club knew it. However, luck wasn't on his side that day, and he was forced to work with Santana.

"Sam…"

"Quinn." Sam smirked at her, and her heart dropped. She looked at Finn longingly. She got the worst person she possibly could have gotten. Sam was definitely not yet over Quinn, although they hadn't dated in 9 months, and they only dated for a short while. Sam strided over to her and put his arm around her. She shrugged his arm off and glared at him. Mr. Schue was close to allowing a redraw, but knew if one pair were allowed to change then everyone would want to, so he kept the pairings the same.

"Finn…" Finn walked up to the front of the room. There were two options left: Tina and Mercedes. To be honest, they were probably the best people he could have gotten. They were both really nice, and neither of them had tried to hit on him yet. Quinn, Santana and Brittany had all tried to flirt and hit on him, and Rachel just scared him. He had lived on the streets for 6 years, and had been a victim of child abuse beforehand, but that brunette was like 5 ft of fury and he was genuinely afraid of her. He dug his hand into the bag and pulled out a name.

"Tina." He said. She smiled at him and he nodded. He walked over and sat next to her. Mr. Schue got up again and faced the class.

"OK guys, so that leaves Artie and Mercedes. The way this assignment is gonna work is that each of you are going to learn 3 facts about your partner that you don't know. You're also going to perform a duet together. It doesn't have to be romantic, as I know that none of the pairings are dating. Good luck, guys. You'll be performing at the next rehearsal. Good luck!"

They all started to get up, and Tina turned to Finn.

"So do you have any duet ideas?" She asked. Finn shook his head.

"I honestly have no idea. This is my first assignment as part of New Directions. Whatever duet you can find is cool by me. As long as it's not too weird or extreme."

Tina laughed. "Don't worry. I'm not Santana! So, do you wanna come over to my place this evening and we can work on it. Next Glee rehearsal is in two days."

Finn nodded and smiled. "Sure, just text me the address. I'll be there."

Finn walked out the room, and he walked over to the locker room to get ready for football practise. On the way, he caught up with Mike.

"Hey Mike, how's it going, man?" Finn asked.

"Good, Are you OK?" He asked. Mike was obviously upset that Tina was working with another guy, but - other than Kurt who was gay - Finn was probably the least likely person to try and make a move on Tina.

"Yeah, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Tina's house tonight to work on the duet. But I know how much you like her, and I swear nothing romantic is gonna happen."

Mike smiled at him. Finn was such a kind person, and he genuinely cared about others. "It's cool, dude. I mean technically, Tina and I aren't even dating so if something happens, it's not like it's cheating or anything."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. You both like each other. You guys are gonna get together soon. It would be a real asshole move for me to try anything. And besides, she clearly likes you too, so if I were to do anything, nothing would become of it."

"Thanks, man. It means a lot."

Finn nodded at him, and they walked into the locker room. After a grueling two hour practise, Finn made it back home. His mom was working a long shift at work, so she wasn't home. Finn walked in and took a quick shower. He changed into some casual clothing - an old hoodie and sweatpants - and then checked his phone. Tina had sent him the address of her house, and Finn quickly rode his motorbike over to Tina's house, and she let him in. Both of her parents were out and she was an only child so the house was empty. They stayed in the living room because they knew it would be a bit weird if they were in her bedroom.

"So, did you think of any ideas for the duet?" Finn asked. She smiled.

"I had a few, some of them are love songs though. I hope that's ok." Finn nodded.

"I mean it's fine by me. We're friends, so it's not weird. And besides, we all know that you and Mike are pretty close to getting together." He remarked. Tina blushed.

"Is it that obvious? Like you've been in McKinley for less than a month!"

Finn laughed. "I don't like to lie, so I'm just gonna say it. Yeah, it is. Extremely obvious. You guys should just go for it already."

Tina sighed. "I mean I guess. So, back to the duet, which one do you like the most."

Finn looked at the list again. "Probably this one." He said, pointing to one of the songs on the list. "And it's a pretty easy song."

They spent the next hour practising the song, and when they were finally satisfied, they sat back down on the couch.

"So, now for the next part, 3 things I don't know about you. This should be pretty easy cause I just moved here so I don't know much about anyone." Finn said. Tina smiled and thought for a moment.

"Well, number 1, is probably my fake stutter. I used to fake a stutter when I was a kid so that I would seem weird and people wouldn't approach me. Number 2 is that I want to be a performer when I'm older, rather than a normal job like my parents want me to have. Number 3 is that I can't wait to be old. It must be so fun, sitting in retirement and looking back on your life."

Finn chuckled at the third fact. "Well, I understand the first two, but seriously, you wanna be old?"

She laughed. "Well, yeah."

Finn shrugged. "Well, to each his own."

Tina smiled. "What about you? Any deep dark secrets?"

Finn laughed mirthlessly. "Too many. Where to start?" Finn thought for a moment, and Tina raised an eyebrow. Finally, Finn thought of 3 facts that would be honest, but also protect his privacy at the same time.

"Ok, I'm going to try my best to be honest, but my early childhood was really rough so I wanna keep some stuff to myself. Fact 1 is that I was a victim of severe child abuse for about a year, at the hands of my dad who was suffering from PTSD, until I ran away from home. Fact 2 is that my biological mother hanged herself when I was like 6. Fact 3 is my mom who's in Lima with me is my adopted mom. I got adopted just over 2 years ago."

Tina's eyes widened as she listened to Finn recount parts of his childhood. She knew that he was withholding a lot about what happened, but she wasn't about to press him about it.

"Wow, Finn. I'm so sorry." She said, gently.

"It's fine. It's not meant to be a sad story. It's just my story, you know? And anyways, it could have been a LOT worse."

She nodded and decided to press a little bit more. "So what happened between when you ran away and when ? She asked. Finn shook his head.

"Not important." He said quietly, and shook his head. "Some things I'd prefer to keep private. Anyways, the important thing is that I'm here now." Finn effectively cut off the conversation with this, and they chatted randomly for the next few minutes, before Finn checked his phone. It was 8 pm.

"Look, this has been really great, but I gotta go. I brought my motorbike and I don't like to ride at night. It was really nice talking to you. And good luck with Mike!" Finn said and smiled. She smiled back.

"Thanks. You're a really nice person. And a great singer. Glee club's lucky to have you."

"Thanks," Finn said as he left the house. He rode home and walked inside. When he came inside, he saw his mom getting ready to go out.

"Hey mom, where are you going?" Finn asked. He only recently started calling Carole mom, as for the first year, he called her Carole. She turned to him and smiled. She loved Finn just as much as any biological mother loved their son.

"I'm just going out for dinner with someone."

Finn smirked at his mom. "Oooooh, you're going on a date? Be back by midnight or you're soooo grounded!" He joked. His mom laughed. Finn walked into the living room and collapsed on the couch. He turned on the TV and started watching a hockey game. Even though he was in the States, he made sure to never forget his Canadian roots, and he was fanatical about hockey. Hockey was a winter term sport, so he would probably play for the McKinley team after the Christmas break. His mom left soon after and Finn spent the rest of the night singing along to songs he was playing on his guitar. The guitar was the only thing he had from his old life. His biological mom gave it to him as a present a few weeks before she offed herself. It was the last thing he had to remember her by, not that he wanted to after what she did. That guitar had also earned him almost $250,000 dollars in the 6 years he spent begging and busking on the street. At around 11:30pm, his mom arrived home. Finn looked up as she walked into the living room.

"Hey mom, I see the date went well!"

"Who said it was a date?" She asked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"The fact that you're only wearing half the lipstick and lipgloss you left in. I'm guessing the other half is on his face."

Carole rolled her eyes and smiled. Finn was probably the most perceptive person she knew. He would make a great detective, she thought. "Well, as you can tell, it went great. Burt was really nice, and I think you know his son?"

"Oh, really? Who is he?"

"I think he's in Glee? Kurt Hummel?"

Finn's eyes widened. "Kurt? Wow, that's… unexpected. But I mean, Kurt, deep down, is a nice person. He's just a bit over-competitive."

"Well, his dad is lovely. We're gonna go out again soon!" Carole was almost giddy in happiness. It was the second date she had ever been on since her husband's passing. She knew that Chris would be her soulmate, but she also knew that he would want her to be happy. Finn smiled. His mom had done so much for him - providing him with a home, education and most importantly, all of the therapy and counselling he needed after his dreadful childhood. She deserved happiness more than anyone he knew.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time." Finn said. She smiled at her son.

"So Finn, you dating anyone in McKinley?"

"Nah, I'm not."

"What's the excuse this time, son? I understand the first two years I adopted you, as you were going through a lot. But now, you have a regular high school life." Finn chuckled at his mom's innocent comment.

"Look mom, it's not that I'm ungrateful for everything you've done for me, because trust me I am. It's just I'll never have a normal high school life. And I wouldn't feel right keeping such big secrets about my past from a girlfriend. Like I spoke to a friend today and we had to learn about each other as part of a Glee assignment, and I had to leave out huge chunks in my life story. I couldn't do that to a girlfriend."

"Finn, if you don't heal what hurt you you'll bleed on people who didn't cut you."

"I don't know, mom. I'll think about it, I guess. I'm gonna be in high school for the next 3 years. I'm gonna turn in now. Good night mom." Finn said, and walked upstairs. He brushed his teeth and then collapsed on his bed, falling asleep immediately. It had been a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey guys, you all ready to perform?" Mr. Schue asked them as he walked into Glee rehearsal. They all nodded. Rachel and Kurt stood up.

"Mr. Schue, Kurt and I would like to go first." Rachel said. He nodded and everyone sighed. Finn completely tuned out for the first 5 performances but listened to the short introductions they gave about each other. The ones that he made him look up were the fact that Brittany's cat apparently is a chainsmoker, Rachel had two gay dad's rather than a mom and a dad, Mike wanted to be a dancer as a living, Santana had never actually dated anyone before, and Kurt wanted to work in fashion after high school. Finn and Tina were the last to perform, and Mr. Schue called them to the stage.

"So, I guess let's start with the facts about our partner. I'm sure most of you know the stuff that Tina told me, but I didn't obviously cause I just met you guys" Finn said. He quickly relayed everything that Tina had told him. As Finn had expected, they all knew the information that Tina told him. However, nobody in their right mind expected what Tina had told the group about Finn. She explained the facts that Finn had told her, and by the end, their jaws had all dropped. They had not expected that Finn had been through so much. And they only know a quarter of it. Finn could tell that they all had questions and he sighed.

"Look, I can tell you all are bursting with questions, so hit me. But please respect my privacy if I refuse to answer some of them."

They all nodded, and Rachel asked the first question.

"What happened exactly with your dad? Why did you run away?"

Finn closed his eyes. Every night, whenever he tried to sleep, he would always see that glass table, and feel the intense pain that came with being thrown into it. They all noticed Finn's discomfort, and felt bad for him.

"Finn, we don't have to do this." Mr. Schue said.

"No, it's fine. Why did I run away? Well, there was an incident with my dad. He came home wasted, as always. I was trying to clean up all the beer bottles and cigarette butts from the house, breaking my curfew. He got pissed. He hit me, then grabbed me and threw me across the room. I landed on the glass coffee table and went straight through it. All of the glass impaled me, and I was rushed to hospital. My dad didn't even get into any trouble, as the police's story was that I was playing football indoors and tripped. I knew I couldn't take much more of the abuse. So when I was discharged from the hospital, I went to the bathroom and never came back."

They were all silent for a moment. Mercedes spoke up next.

"Where did you go when you ran away?" She asked.

Finn shook his head. "Some secrets should remain secrets. I just met you guys, so I'm not about to tell you a secret that literally just my mom and I know."

Mr. Schue decided to end the interrogation there. "OK, guys, how about your song? What are you singing, and why?"

"So," Tina said. "We're singing a duet cover of Just a Dream by Nelly. I'm singing this to someone, and I'm sure you all know who he is." Everyone nodded and looked at Mike. Mike smiled faintly at Tina.

"Well, I'm not singing for anyone cause I'm alone!" Finn exclaimed, and the Glee club laughed. Finn and Tina walked over to the microphones. The music started playing and they started singing along.

*Sings Just a Dream by Christina Grimmie and Sam Tsui*

At the end of the song, everyone applauded loudly. It was by far Tina's best performance in the year and a half she had been in the Glee club. She had a new-found confidence to her. At the end of the song, Mike got up and walked over to Tina. They were soon locked in a passionate kiss. Finn slowly slunk off the side of the stage and sat down next to Puck. Mr. Schue had to gently pull the couple apart. They sat back down, hand in hand, and smiling widely.

"Wow, Tina, Finn, that was a great performance. Your voices worked great together. And the choice was great as well. Overall, an amazing performance. Probably my favourite performance of the day."

Rachel and Kurt looked extremely upset at this. They had sung a random Broadway number, and although they were both good singers, they had no emotion in the song, whereas Tina was actually singing for someone, and Finn, well Finn knew how to channel his emotions into singing really well.

Mr. Schue turned to Mike, Sam, Finn and Puck. "So, are you guys ready for the first football game of the season?"

They all nodded. Coach Beiste had them training hard for the first game. They had both morning gym sessions and evening practises. Finn was definitely the better quarterback. He had the most powerful throw that Coach Beiste had ever seen by a high school student

After the Glee rehearsal, Finn walked down to the locker room by the field. They had their first game of the football season in an hour. Coach Beiste and most of the other guys were already there when Finn, Puck, Mike and Sam walked in.

"OK, boys, are you ready for the game?" Coach Beiste nodded. They all nodded and put on their equipment. They then ran onto the field for a quick warm up. There was a brisk breeze outside, but Finn couldn't feel it. After surviving 6 winters in Toronto as a homeless person, he had become immune to the cold. The bleachers were already packed with students, parents and teachers from McKinley so the pressure was on the team to perform well. Finn threw the ball around with Sam to warm up. Sam had gotten over his frustration of Finn outshining him in football and Glee, and they had become a little bit closer. After the short warm up, the team went back to the locker room briefly to discuss some final plays. At last, they jogged onto the field and the crowd cheered. The ref called the two captains over for the coin toss. Finn called heads, and it was heads. Finn jogged back to the sideline where his teammates were, and the ref blew the whistle and the game started.

The punt receiver caught the ball and he managed to make it 25 yards. It was good enough for Finn. The offensive line then ran onto the field and they decided on their first play. They gained 12 yards with the first pass of the night. It was a bullet pass from Finn to his tight end. He then decided on two run plays next, which only gained him 1 yard. It was 3rd and 9 and Finn was forced to throw long. He decided for two of his receivers to run and cut inside and his other two, to sprint full steam ahead and beat their marker. They did this, and Finn made a 50 yard pass. The crowd was roaring at this, and one run play later, the touchdown and field goal was theirs. It was 14-7 to McKinley and Finn was on fire. Every single one of his passes were on point: he was yet to concede an interception or incomplete on passing plays.

During the second half of the game, Finn's throwing was still perfect, but his team were starting to make mistakes. His receivers dropped the ball, the defensive line made errors, and by the last minute of the game, it was 21-27 to the other team. McKinley needed a touchdown and a field goal to win. However, they were on the opposite side of the field, and they were closer to committing a safety than scoring a touchdown. They decided to go for a hail mary play. They snapped the ball and Finn caught it. All four receivers sprinted up the field like maniacs. Finn waited until they were at least 50 yards ahead, juking a defenseman and dodged another in the process. Finn hurled the ball almost 80 yards and into Puck's outstretched arms. He was then tackled ten yards before the end zone. The crowd started screaming again. They had never seen a high school QB throw the ball that accurately and powerfully. They had ten seconds left in the game and they were 10 yards from the endzone. The running backs had been having a bad second half and the team didn't have time for any mistakes. Finn decided to do a QB Draw play. He faked the pass and started running. He was 2 yards from the touchdown line and he saw a huge linebacker opposite him. He was going to get tackled. No, more accurately, he was going to get bulldozed. Without thinking, he jumped. He leap frogged over the linebacker and fell into the endzone. The ref blew his whistle for the touchdown. Everyone went crazy. His teammates piled on top of him and the crowd were hysterical. They were all hugging and screaming. The kicker easily made the field goal and the game was McKinley's. The players all stayed on the field and celebrated their first win of the season. They made mistakes, and it was an ugly victory, but a victory nonetheless. Finn was unsurprisingly named Man of the Match, and was immediately the most popular guy in school.


	5. Chapter 5

When Finn walked into school on Monday, he had girls throwing themselves at him left and right. Obviously, Finn gently declined all of their offers. If he was going to date someone, it definitely wouldn't be a random cheerleader he had just met. He walked quickly towards the choir room and slammed the door behind him. Quinn was the only person .

"Let me guess, the Cheerios?" Quinn asked. He nodded tiredly and she giggled.

"Yeah, I heard them talking about you after the game. Literally all of them want to ask you out."

"Well, I'm sure that they know by now that I'm definitely not saying yes to any of them. It's not my personality."

She smiled. "Well, you're certainly different to last year's Quarterback. I swear he slept with more than half of the Cheerios."

Finn nodded and then realised something. "Wait, wasn't Sam the QB last year?"

"Yeah," She rolled her eyes at the thought of the blonde.

"Well, remind me to refrain from physical contact with him from now on." Finn joked and stuck his hands in his pockets. Quinn laughed, not a fake one but a genuine one.

"So… tell me about yourself." Finn said. "I don't think I've really gotten a chance to speak to you since I arrived."

"Well, what's there to say? I'm the most popular girl in school because I'm Head Cheerio. President of the Celibacy Club. I'm on the honor roll so I get all A's. And I sing in Glee club." Quinn said. Finn fought back a laugh but failed miserably. She noticed his reaction and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" She giggled. Finn grinned at her.

"You… uh, you didn't tell me about yourself..." Finn pointed out. She looked at him, confused.

"Umm, yeah I did! Someone hard of hearing?" Quinn exclaimed. Finn shook his head

"No you told me what you do… I'm asking about who you are." Finn said. Quinn looked into his eyes and blushed.

"I'm a 16 year old girl trying to be on top of everything and everyone. I'm trying to be loved by everyone." Quinn opened up about herself more than she had ever opened up to anyone. She didn't know why, but she felt more comfortable talking to Finn than she did any of her friends and family. Finn didn't interrupt her; he just listened and nodded. "It's stupid, I know, but ever since my parents split up early last year, I feel that neither of my parents love me anymore or even care about me at all. So being the most popular girl in the school, I feel some type of worship… some type of love." Quinn said. Finn looked at her and noticed that her eyes were tearing up.

"Hey, hey. We don't have to talk about this." Finn said, wiping Quinn's tears and comforting her.

"Sorry. I don't normally get like this. I'm a bit of a mess." Quinn said, avoiding eye contact with him. He gently lifted her head up so she looked him in the eye.

"Well, uh, I think you look beautiful." Finn said. Quinn quickly looked up at him and smiled. Finn smiled back at her and continued to wipe her tears. He just held her as she cried.

"I thought you said you didn't think I was attractive." Quinn remarked, weakly.

"I never said that. I just said I just didn't know you, but I guess we're getting to know each other now right?" Finn said.

"So you think I'm beautiful?" Quinn asked. Finn chuckled and eventually she stopped crying. She then left the room to get cleaned up before Glee started. A couple of minutes later, everyone started to walk in. Quinn was the last to enter, and she smiled at him as she took her seat. Mr. Schue bounded into the room, grinning, and Finn sat back and got ready for rehearsal to start.

"Congratulations, football guys! And Finn, man of the match, well done!"

"Thanks," They all said. Everyone gave a quick cheer. Mr. Schue then began the lesson.

"So, Rachel, I'm sure you're gonna be happy about this, we're starting Sectionals prep today!"

Everyone smiled and Rachel jumped up.

"OK, guys, this is what we should do. I should solo, obviously, and then we should do a group number that I also solo in!"

Puck rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and we should change our group name to 'Rachel and her Backup singers'."

Rachel scowled at him.

"And besides," He continued. "You're not even our best singer."

She gasped and her eyes widened. How dare he?!

"Oh yeah? Then who is it?" She challenged him. Mercedes then stood up.

"Wow, thank you Puck. Maybe I misjudged you." She said, assuming Puck was talking about her. Puck shook his head.

"NO! Not you either! I'm backing my boy Finn." Everyone looked at Finn, who was raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Puck, I don't know about that. And anyways, I'm new, so shouldn't the solo go to you guys who have been here for the past year?" Finn said, trying to slow his friend down in order to keep peace within the Glee club.

"No, Puck's right. Finn, you're the best singer we've got." Artie said and smiled at him. Rachel and Mercedes were getting increasingly annoyed, and Mr. Schue finally decided to step in.

"Here, let's make this fair. For every competition we compete in, we'll have open auditions for the soloist. For Sectionals, our solo doesn't even have to be a solo. It can have between 1-5 singers. So, Rachel, Mercedes, Finn, feel free to audition, but you don't have a guaranteed solo."

They all nodded. Rachel, Tina and Mercedes all signed up to audition as soloists, Quinn, Santana and Brittany signed up as a trio. Mike didn't want to audition, as he couldn't sing at all. Suddenly, Finn had an idea.

"Hey Kurt, Artie, Sam, Puck, why don't we all team up? Our best chance of beating them is to join forces."

They all smiled and nodded. "Yeah! Let's do it!" Kurt exclaimed. "I really, really really want to beat Rachel. Wipe the smug smirk off her face."

Puck laughed. "You and me both Hummel. I'm in."

"Count me in." Artie said.

Sam, however, was reluctant, but agreed eventually. Him and Finn had eventually become friends, but he still wasn't a huge fan of Finn.

"Oh, listen up everyone! There's one more thing!" Mr. Schue announced. "Girls, you need to sing a song that is by a male artist. Guys, you need to sing a song that is by a female artist. Good luck!"

They all looked at each other in panic, but Kurt and Finn were calm. Kurt because he was used to singing songs that were traditionally sung by females, and Finn because he already had a lot of possible ideas. The Glee club split up and each act went into a different spare classroom. Finn and the 4 other guys stayed in the choir room. Rachel and Mercedes were extremely excited, and just assumed that one of them would win, rather than one of the groups. Mr. Schue walked over to the guys.

"Hey, I hope you guys are up for this competition. The girls look pretty pumped." He said.

"We're planning on smacking them down like the hand of God." Artie replied, firmly. Mr. Schue nodded and smiled at his students' enthusiasm.

As soon as Mr. Schue walked away, Puck turned to them.

"Guys, what are we going to do? I'm not down with that girly crap!" Puck said. Sam agreed.

"Look, you guys need to suck it up and deal with it. And I have a couple of ideas." Finn said. He took out a sheet of paper, and wrote down a list of songs that could easily be transcribed into a group number.

"Here, everyone add your suggestions to this list and then we can pick a song from the list." He said. They all nodded and Kurt added two Broadway numbers to the bottom, although he knew that they would never sing a Broadway number. Puck, Sam and Artie read Kurt and Finn's suggestions and they pointed at one of Finn's suggestions.

"You know what, I could be down with this one. It's a decent song." Puck said. Sam and Artie agreed and they highlighted one of the songs from the list. Finn took the sheet to see which song they had chosen, and his eyes widened when he read the name.

"Wow guys, Kelly Clarkson? Really? Didn't think you guys would be into that song!" He laughed. They punched him on the shoulder.

"Trust me, dude, I'm not. I just wanna beat Berry." Puck said and they all laughed. They ended up practising the song for the next hour, and then Mr. Schue called all of the Glee club into the auditorium, where they would be auditioning.

"OK, Rachel, you'll be starting. Take it away." He said. Rachel strided to the front of the room and took the microphone. Yet again, Finn tuned out all of the performers, until Mr. Schue called them up, and the five guys took their places on the stage.

"Hey guys, I'm really excited to hear your song!" Mr. Schue said, excitedly. "What are you singing? Do you have a band name?"

"Uhh, yeah, we're One Direction and we're singing My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson." Kurt said.

The band started playing the backing track and the five guys began to sing.

_[Sam]_

_Guess this means you're sorry_

_You're standing at my door_

_Guess this means you take back_

_All you said before_

_[Puck]_

_Like how much you wanted_

_Anyone but me_

_Said you'd never come back_

_But here you are again_

_[All]_

_'Cause we belong together now, yeah_

_Forever united here somehow, yeah_

_You got a piece of me_

_And honestly_

_My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you_

_[Artie]_

_Maybe I was stupid_

_For telling you goodbye_

_Maybe I was wrong_

_[Kurt]_

_For tryin' to pick a fight_

_[All]_

_'Cause we belong together now, yeah_

_Forever united here somehow, yeah_

_You got a piece of me_

_And honestly,_

_My life_

_[Finn]_

_My life!_

_[All]_

_Would suck_

_[Finn]_

_Would suck!_

_[All]_

_Without you._

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[One Direction - My Life Would Suck Without You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcrqezVGTug)

At the end of the song, everyone but Rachel was on their feet. Even Mr. Schue was really enjoying the performance. They got a huge round of applause at the end of the end.

"Wow, guys. Just, wow. Your voices gelled so well there. You split the parts evenly. You had a great song choice. I genuinely think you 5 could go very far as a boy band. Like even after high school. But anyways, I've made my decision. You five are doing the opening solo for Sectionals! Congratulations!"

They all jumped up and bro hugged each other. Rachel looked annoyed, but she knew that she was second best to the guys. Rehearsal ended shortly after, and everyone started to leave. Finn volunteered to help clear up everything, so was the last to leave. He was just putting away the microphones, when he turned around and walked into someone. He looked down at her.

"Oh my god, Quinn, I'm so sorry!" He cried, as he helped her up. She laughed.

"Don't worry! I've been dropped much worse in the Cheerios!" She dusted off her Cheerios uniform, and then looked up at him.

"Oh, god!" Finn said, and laughed. There was an awkward silence for a moment. They were both thinking about what had happened a few hours earlier.

"About earlier..." Quinn started.

"Look I didn't mean to upset you, I swear. But to be honest, I don't regret it. It sort of gave me an understanding of the kind of person you are, and I want to get to know the real Quinn Fabray, not the McKinley high popular girl. So I was wondering, if you're not doing anything tonight, would you like to go to Breadsticks with me?" Finn asked. Quinn beamed widely.

"I'd love to." She replied. Finn smiled at her.

"Cool, I'll pick you up at 8?" He said. She nodded and Finn left the room. He was about to go on his first date ever.

"Tell me, how many girlfriends have you had?" Quinn asked as Finn drove them to Breadsticks. He had picked her up exactly on time and had gotten her some beautiful flowers. Finn looked at her and decided to answer honestly.

"Actually, none."Finn said.

"NONE?"She asked, shocked.

"Yeah, is that bad?" Finn asked, laughing.

"Well you're hot. How could you have no girlfriends?" Quinn asked. They approached a stop sign and Finn slowed the car down. He had borrowed his mom's car for the date, as he obviously wasn't about to take his motorcycle.

"Well, between the ages of 7 - 13, I wasn't in school. And then when I finally was adopted, I had so many PTSD and emotional problems so most free time was being taken up by sports, music and then therapy." Finn said.

"What happened to you between ages 7 - 13?"Quinn asked, curiously. Finn took a deep breath and looked up at her. He clenched his jaw.

"Well, as I mentioned in rehearsal a while ago, I ran away from home before I even turned 7. I ended up living on the streets for 6 years. I would kinda steal textbooks to try and educate myself. And I would beg for money and food. It was pretty rough. Anyways, what about you? How many guys?"

"I broke a lot of hearts, but I don't plan on breaking yours." Quinn said. Finn looked at her and raised his eyebrow. She didn't push him away because of his past like he assumed she would.

"We haven't had our date yet. What makes you sure that I'll ask you to be my girlfriend?" Finn smiled at her.

"I just have a feeling. Come on, we're almost at Breadstix." Quinn said. Finn nodded and they started driving again.

"Why is it called breadstix?" Finn asked.

"They're supposed to give you an unlimited amount of breadstix. Apparently, last year, Santana brought a wheelbarrow and she told the manager to fill it up." Quinn said. Finn laughed and put his head in his hands.

"So if you don't mind me asking, why are you in Glee club?" Finn asked.

"Why, you don't think I have a good voice?" Quinn asked, slightly offended. Finn laughed and shook his head.

"No! I love your voice. It's amazing. But why glee club? Like I know it's pretty rich coming from the Quarterback, but you seem a lot more into the popularity thing than I am. And if it's not the popular thing to be in, why did you join it?" Finn asked.

"It makes me happy. I love being there. And those people have been by my side through everything. It's a real family, and I'm glad you're in it now." Quinn said, holding his hand.

"Before I was adopted, hell even after, I never had anything like this. My closest friends were the people who thought I was so pathetic that they tossed a half dollar into my cup" Finn remarked. Quinn laughed.

"Wow, your life is so sad." Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Gee thanks," Finn laughed, rolling his eyes. Quinn realised what she had just said.

"No! No! I don't mean sad as in boring and irrelevant. I meant it as you've been through so much pain and hurt, from what you've told me."

"Trust me, you've only heard half of it. That's why it's so nice to belong somewhere like Glee Club."

You could belong with me." Quinn said. Finn smiled at her comment and looked down. They arrived at Breadstix shortly after, and spent the next couple of hours chatting about their childhoods. Well, Finn mainly listened. He didn't want to scare Quinn off with his childhood horror stories. At the end of the date, he drove Quinn home and he stopped his car. He got out of the car and walked Quinn to her door.

"I had a great time tonight," Quinn said. Finn smiled at her.

"Yeah, me too," He replied. She leaned in and he made her lips. They kissed for some time, before Quinn pulled away.

"You know, I don't normally kiss on the first date," Quinn murmured. Finn smiled at her.

"But you just couldn't resist?" He smirked. She giggled.

"Maybe," she purred.

"Well, Quinn Fabray, with that being said, do you want to be my girlfriend?"

She beamed. "See I told you that you would ask before the end of the night! And yes, I would love to."

Finn smiled back at her. They spent the rest of the night 'having fun' together, and Finn sneak into his house the morning after.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Finn woke up happier than he had been in a while. He was doing well in Glee in football, he had a lot of friends, and he was dating Quinn. Quinn was absolutely amazing. She was funny, smart, interesting and beautiful, everything Finn looked for in a girl. He did his usual morning routine and then rode to school. He was grabbing some books from his locker when someone put a small hand on his shoulder. He turned around. It was Quinn. He smiled at her and kissed her quickly.

"Hey babe, how was your weekend?" He asked.

"It was ok. I didn't do anything though so kind of boring. What about you?"

"I didn't do much either. I spent all of Sunday dirt biking in the woods. That was pretty fun!"

Her eyes widened. "You go dirt biking? Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"Don't worry. I went with my friend so if one of us got injured, the other could call for help. And anyways, it's no different to when I ride my Harley to school every day."

The worry then faded from her eyes and she took his hand. They walked to Glee together and everyone looked up when they walked in.

"Wait, are you two dating?" Puck asked, pointing to their interlaced hands. They nodded. He smirked.

"Ooh, Sam's not gonna be happy about that!" Santana exclaimed. "I smell a fight about to happen."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I honestly couldn't care less about Sam."

"Yeah and if he tries to fight me, I can kick his ass in my sleep." Finn yawned. Suddenly, Sam walked into the room and saw Quinn and Finn kissing. Sam was absolutely furious.

"THAT'S IT, HUDSON! ME AND YOU! OUTSIDE! NOW!" He bellowed. Finn rolled his eyes.

"I'm good, thanks." Finn replied, laughing.

"He's not gonna fight you, you idiot." Quinn spat at her ex-boyfriend. Sam nodded.

"I know he isn't, because he's a pussy." Sam growled. Everyone gasped and Finn turned slowly towards him. Finn stood up and squared up to Sam. It was only then that Sam realised how big a mistake he had made. Finn was at least 4 inches taller, and was 200 pounds of pure muscle.

"Oh ho ho. Them's fightin' words." Finn growled. Sam tried to swing at Finn, but Finn literally caught his hand and pushed the hand back towards Sam, effectively using the guy's own fist to punch him in the face. Sam stumbled back and then stormed out of the room. As he stormed out, Mr. Schue walked in, and looked at the blonde, confused.

"What's up with him?" Mr. Schue asked, pointing to the figure who was retreating down the hallway. Everyone shrugged and Mr. Schue rolled his eyes and walked over to the board. He wrote a single word on the board: Unity.

"U… U… Un." Brittany struggled to read the word.

"Unity." Rachel said, condescendingly.

"Oh wow, man hands can read. Congratulations!" Santana remarked, sarcastically and clapping her hands slowly. Santana was very protective of Brittana, and always defended her friend. Mr. Schuester sighed.

"Guys, GUYS!" He yelled, quieting them down. "This is exactly what I mean. If we want to stand a chance at Nationals, we need to work together. So your assignment for this week is to find a song that has something to do with Unity."

Everyone nodded.

"OK, so does anyone have anything prepared already?"

Nobody spoke.

"Rachel? Mercedes? Kurt?" He asked, looking around at his students.

"Come on, guys! At least one of you have gotta have something! If none of you volunteer, I'm gonna pick someone at random and they'll have to perform."

Still, nobody said anything.

"OK, Fine. I still have the hat with all of the girls' names in it. I've also added all of the guys' names. Whoever I pick has to perform. Last chance for a volunteer."

No response.

"OK, suit yourselves." He said, reaching into the hat. He grabbed a small slip of paper and read it out loud.

"Finn." He said.

"Yeah, what's up?" A voice said from behind him. Mr. Schue turned around, confused. Finn had just walked in.

"Where the hell were you?" Mr. Schue asked, confused.

"Bathroom. Why? What's going on?" Finn asked. He had no idea what was going on.

"Well, you sir are singing a song for us about unity?"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" He asked. He had absolutely no idea what was going on.

"Hudson, you're singing a song about unity right now! What's so hard to get?" Puck exclaimed. Finn slowly nodded and walked over to the front of the room.

_Is it getting better?_

_Or do you feel the same?_

_Or would it make it easier on you now?_

_You got someone to blame_

_You say: One love, One life_

_It's one need in the night_

_One love, You get to share it_

_Leaves you darling, if you don't care for it_

_Have you come here for forgiveness?_

_Have you come to raise the dead?_

_Have you come here to play Jesus?_

_To the lepers in your head_

_You say_

_Love is a temple, love is a higher law_

_Love is a temple, love is a higher law_

_You ask me to enter_

_and then you make me crawl_

_But I can't keep holding on, to what you got_

_When all you need it is love_

_Oh,_

_One life you got to do what you should_

_One life, with each other_

_Sisters and my brothers_

_One, One_

_You say, one love, one life_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[James Arthur - One](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S-DJ6PBFbE) **

At the end of the song, everybody clapped and Mr. Schue smiled. It was a truly excellent performance, especially for an impromptu performance. Around a minute after the performance, Sam walked into the room.

"Hey Sam, what happened? Why did you leave?" Mr. Schue asked.

"I have an announcement. I'm not performing the guys number in Sectionals." He said, stubbornly. Mr. Shue's eyes widened.

"Um… excuse me?" Mr. Schue asked.

"I'm not performing the guys number in Sectionals. I'll perform the group number, but there's no way I'm performing on stage with that dick." He spat, pointing on Finn. Finn raised.

"Woah, what did I do?" Finn asked, indignantly.

"You ruined my life! And there's no chance in hell I'm performing alongside you!"

Everyone was astonished at Sam's sudden outburst, and Finn sighed.

"OK, fine. You joined Glee first. It's only fair that I step down." Finn said, reluctantly.

"That's fucking bullshit!" Rachel cried, and everyone gasped and turned to her. They had never heard Rachel swear before.

"Damn, Berry!" Puck laughed. "You're not wrong, but calm down!"

"Oh, come on! We're all thinking it! Sam, stop being a fucking baby! Finn didn't ruin your life! You're still on the football team. You're still in the Glee club. And you might still be dating Quinn if you hadn't cheated on her!"

Everyone snickered at Rachel's sudden outburst. Defeated, Sam sat back down and sulked in the corner of the room. Even Mr. Schue couldn't help but snicker. The Glee club was dismissed a moment later, and the rest of the day flew by. Finn rode home, content, and spent the next few hours working on some ideas on his guitar. Suddenly, the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Finn frowned to himself. Neither him or his mom was expecting anyone. In fact, his mom was working an afternoon shift, so she wasn't even home. Maybe it was her and she forgot her keys, Finn thought. He slowly made his way towards the door. Meanwhile, the person outside was spamming the doorbell. Finn finally made it and blurrily saw a blonde cheerleader standing outside. He smiled and unlocked the door.

"Quinn! Hi!" He said, and immediately noticed her facial expression. She had clearly been crying: her eyes were puffy and her make up was smudged.

"Is everything OK?" He asked, concerned. She collapsed into sobs once again and he held her tightly and comforted her. He led her inside and they sat down on the living room sofa. Finn waited until she had finally stopped crying before he spoke again.

"Quinn, what happened?" He asked softly.

"I… I'm pregnant…"


	7. Chapter 7

"I… I'm pregnant." She said and started to cry once more. Finn's heart dropped.

"Well, is it mine?" He asked, hesitantly. She scowled at him.

"Of course it's yours! Whose else would it be?"

"I don't know. I know you've had other boyfriends. And it's not like you were a virgin when we…"

She shook her head.

"You were my second. My first was months ago so I would be showing if it were his." She whispered. Finn took a deep breath. He felt like crying but he had to be strong. He knew however crappy he was feeling, Quinn was feeling a LOT worse.

"OK, this is gonna be OK." He said, partly trying to convince Quinn, but also trying to convince himself. "Are we gonna discuss what we're gonna do with the baby? Like are you gonna give the baby up? Or keep it?"

"Well, there's no discussion. _I'm_ making the decisions for this baby. And I'm definitely not giving the baby up. Not for an abortion, not for adoption. I'm keeping the baby."

"Do I even get a say?" Finn asked quietly.

"NO! This is all your fault! Your opinion doesn't matter!"

Finn took a deep breath. He couldn't get angry. Quinn's situation was much worse than his. She had an excuse to be mad.

"So, if you don't want my support, when the baby is born, will I get to see him/her?" He asked. It was a valid question, but Quinn looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Don't you get it? Don't you understand what any of this means? After high school, you and I are gonna have to get married. We're not gonna be able to leave Lima for college. But during the pregnancy, you are gonna have to pay for doctors visits, maternity clothes. The whole lot."

'What the hell?' Finn thought to himself. So he was meant to just pay for everything, and he didn't have a say in anything. His future was over. He wouldn't be able to get a scholarship and go to college. He would have to be married to Quinn, working some dead-end job, like a true Lima loser. But he couldn't refuse. He'd seem like a real jackass if he didn't go with whatever Quinn wanted.

"So, if I'm paying for everything, don't I get a say in what we do with the baby?" He asked.

"NO! YOU DON'T!" She screamed. Finn held her hands and tried to calm her down.

"Okay… okay… that's fine. I was just thinking that wouldn't you want to provide for your child the best life they could possibly have? And I know that life isn't gonna be with two high school students in crappy cow-town Lima." He said softly. Quinn sniffled.

"I know. You're right. But I'm still keeping the baby. There's no way… there's no way I'd ever be able to give it up."

Finn nodded in understanding.

"Ok, I respect that. And just know that I'm not gonna walk out on you and our kid. Whatever we face, we face together, okay? We're gonna be fine." Finn cupped Quinn's face in his hands. She nodded and wiped the tears from her face.

Meanwhile, back in the Schuester household, Will, his pregnant wife Terri and her sister Kendra were helping Terri do deep breathing exercises.

"You're doing great, baby. Just keep breathing." Will encouraged his wife. Kendra shook her head furiously.

"No, no, no!" She exclaimed. "Giving birth is not like how it is in the movies. It is bloody and bestial and you get poop all over your cowboy boots."

Will sighed.

"Well, I'm just trying to be supportive." Will explained to his sister in law. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Will, this isn't about you." She cried. Will looked at her, confused.

"I'm sorry, Kendra, when was I making it about me?" He asked.

"Ugh. You have to be liked, Will. You're nice and supportive and you avoid conflict." She said in a patronising tone. Will looked at his wife to see if what Kendra was saying was true.

"Your wife is going to be pushing a watermelon out of her yoohoo in five months! She doesn't need nice. She needs dolomites." Kendra exclaimed.

"I can be tough." Will said, unconvincingly.

"Sure you can, sweetie." Terri said, patting his arm. Will sighed. Kendra got off the couch and sat down on the floor next to Terri and Will.

"Okay, why don't you come on down here? I'm going to show you how to rub the gas bubbles out of your wife's stomach." Kendra told Will. Terri's face suddenly dropped and she started to look panicked.

"No, no, wait!" Terri cried. She sat up quickly.

"Oh, no, no, no! You'll like it. Phil still does it to me. Feels great." Kendra said. Will rolled his eyes. His sister-in-law wasn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

"I don't want him touching my stomach. I mean, maybe he would bruise the baby!" Terri explained.

"Oh." Kendra replied.

"Honey? Would you get me a BLT?" Terri asked her husband.

"S-sure." Will responded. "I – I'm – it's gonna take a few minutes, though."

"That's okay."

Will kissed his wife's forehead then got up to leave.

"Alright. Be right back." He said.

"Make me one too, but hold the tomato." Kendra called as he left the room.

"You got it." Will said. When he was out of earshot, Terri turned to her sister.

"I can't do this!" She cried. Kendra looked at her, sympathetically.

"Oh, don't worry about it! You're gonna have an epidural. I'm just making it sound worse than it is to make him feel guilty, and then you have him by the balls for the rest of your life.

"Kendra, if I told you something, would you promise not to tell anybody? Not even Phil?" She said in a panic.

"Oh, my God. Is the baby black?" Her sister asked, stupidly.

"No!" Terri whispered and lifted her shirt up carefully, revealing the pad that was making her appear pregnant. Kendra gasped in disbelief.

"The doctor said it's a hysterical pregnancy! I can't tell Will. I can't! He already has one foot out the door. This baby's the only reason he's still here!" She cried

"What do you think he's gonna do when he finds out you lied?" Kendra asked, curiously.

"Oh, God, I don't know! I've got to tell him the truth. I've got to tell him and I've got to deal with the consequences!" As Terri got up, presumably to tell her husband about the pregnancy, Kendra pulled her back down.

"Okay, are you insane?" Kendra whispered.

"What?!" Terri shot back, confused.

"Dishonesty is food to a marriage. It will die without it!" She said, matter-of-factly. Oh how wrong Kendra was!

"I guess." Terri replied. Even she was a bit confused.

"Stop being so emotional." Kendra demanded.

"Okay." Terri replied, a bit more confidently.

"The solution is clear. We're gonna have to get you a baby…"

The next day, Finn didn't say or do much. He didn't see Quinn all day: she wasn't in class or in Glee rehearsal. That evening, Finn was being eaten up inside about the bombshell that Quinn had dropped on him. He needed to talk to someone, get some guidance. He was the father of the baby and he had no idea what to do. Finally, he decided on someone he could talk to. He couldn't talk to his mom, and wasn't about to tell any of his friends. He knocked on Mr. Schue' office door and entered the room. Luckily, Mr. Schue was there, and wasn't in a meeting.

"Hey, Finn. What's up?" Mr. Schue asked, cheerfully.

Finn tried to find the words to explain his feelings about Quinn's pregnancy, but he simply could not. Instead, he broke down into tears and Mr. Schue hugged him. That evening, Mr. Schue took him to the local diner so they could talk privately.

"Thanks a lot for this, Mr. Schue. Couldn't talk to my mom, you know?" He said. Mr. Schue nodded.

"So how far along is she?" Mr. Schue asked, referring to Quinn of course.

"I don't know. Uh, a couple weeks, maybe? It's pretty recent, I guess."

"Well, what do you need me to do? You want me to set you up with Planned Parenthood?"

"No. No, it's not even a conversation. I personally think she should give the baby up. Like if you truly love him/her, you would want the best life for them, right?"

Mr. Schue nodded.

"It's not like I get an opinion though. I have to pay all the fucking bills but I don't get a say in what happens to the baby, right?"

Mr. Schue sighed.

"Unfortunately, that is the case with a lot of people."

"I've seen the guys around town who had kids in high school. They work here or at the supermarket or pumping gas… or worse. They're caged. Got no future. I can't become one of those dudes! Mr. Schue, I gotta go to college, but I don't have any money. Providing for a baby is going to ruin my life in terms of money, future jobs, college and so much more. I can't provide for a baby, Mr. Schue! I can't! I can't even provide for my own future, let alone a baby's as well!

Later that night, Will and Terri were in the bathroom, brushing their teeth at the mirror. Will had just told his wife about Quinn's pregnancy.

"How far along is she?" Terri asked, curiously.

"A few weeks. It breaks my heart. I mean, they're both so scared to death, Ter. They're just kids. They can't raise a baby."

Suddenly, Terri had an epiphany. Quinn had a baby she didn't want, and Terri needed one. And her 'due dates' was around the same time as Quinn's. Maybe this was an opportunity.

"I hear, this poor girl is so ashamed." Will continued. "She feels like she can't tell anybody. I mean, can you imagine? Having to hide something like that?"

Terri stopped brushing her teeth. If only Will knew…

"All that effort, covering that up." He vented to his wife. She looked at him.

"What did you say her name was? Quinn?"

"Quinn Fabray." Mr. Schue nodded. "Oh, and here's the kicker. She's president of the Celibacy Club."

Will kissed Terri's forehead and walked away. A grin snuck onto Terri's face; she now knew where she was going to get her baby from.

The next day, Finn was exhausted. He had barely slept the night before and had bags under his eyes. He was also constantly yawning throughout football practise. Puck noticed.

"What's your problem?" He asked.

"Nothing." Finn said and shook his head. "I just got a lot on my mind."

"Seriously, dude. What's going on? I'm your best friend. Talk."

"It's personal." Finn said bluntly. Puck smirked.

"I knew it! You're in love with Kurt." He exclaimed. Finn raised an eyebrow and had to smile at his friend's stupidity.

"What? No! Quinn's pregnant. She's keeping the baby." He mumbled and walked away. Puck's eyes widened. He couldn't believe his ears. He had a sinking feeling that he was the father. After all, a couple of days before Quinn slept with Finn, she had slept with him, and neither of them had protection/birth control. The night was a drunk blur that could have gone badly. Well, it clearly had. Puck then saw Quinn walking down the hallway, carrying her books. She looked worried, just like Finn. He strided up to her.

"Sup, MILF?" He snarled.

"Leave me alone." She said, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. She knew better than anyone that the baby was not Finn's, and was actually Puck's. After all, she had actually taken a pregnancy test right after she slept with Puck, and she had tested positive. She didn't tell anyone about this, as she knew that there was no way she would be able to raise a baby with Puck. Instead, she slept with Finn, and pretended that the baby was his.

"Who's the daddy? I just think it's kind of weird if it's Finn, since I know that neither of us wore protection when we did it.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked, keeping a level tone.

"Oh come on! You and I both know that I'm the father. You weren't in Glee or Cheerios practise during the week in between when you slept with me, and when you slept with him. What I think happened is that you took a pregnancy test after we slept together, found out that you're pregnant, and then slept with Finn so that you could pretend that it's his baby."

Quinn dragged Puck into an empty corridor and scowled at him.

"I'd take care of it, you know." Puck said. "You, too. My dad's a deadbeat but I don't roll that way."

Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"Weren't you fired for peeing in the fast-food fryolator?" She argued.

"I've got my pool cleaning business."

"We live in Ohio. I had sex with you because you got me drunk on wine coolers and I felt fat that day, but it was a mistake. You're a Lima loser and you're always gonna be a Lima loser."

Quinn ran down the hallway, overcome with emotion. What if Puck told Finn? Then, Finn certainly wouldn't help her. She ran to the parking lot and into her car. It was pouring rain outside, effectively masking her tears. She opened the car door, sat down in the drivers' seat, and sobbed for a few seconds before she was interrupted by a voice. Terri was sitting in the back passenger seat.

"How many weeks are you?" She asked. Quinn jumped and hit her head on the roof of the car. Terri continued talking as if nothing had happened. "From the looks of you, I'd say no more than five or six. I assume you haven't told your parents yet. I mean, how could you? After Daddy bought you this car so you could drive him to the Chastity Ball. You can't raise this baby, Quinn."

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you?"

"I'm just somebody who wants to help." Terri said, not losing the cool tone to her voice.

"I don't need your help! Get the hell out of my car!" Quinn screamed.

"Really? What kind of prenatal vitamins are you taking?" Terri asked. Quinn had no response to the question. Terri then went searching through her purse and pulled out a bottle of prenatal vitamins.

"Yeah. Here. Three times a day, or your baby will be ugly."

"I don't understand. What do you want from me?"

"Well, my dear…"


	8. Chapter 8

The next month had absolutely flown by for Finn. Between Football, Glee, keep up his academic work, taking care of a pregnant Quinn whilst also working a part-time job every afternoon, Finn was absolutely exhausted. Quinn had been kicked off the Cheerios so was now just one of the Glee nerds, so she was extremely upset all the time. To make it worse, her extremely devout and religious parents had kicked her out of their house, so she was living in the spare room at Finn's house. Luckily, Carole was extremely understanding about Quinn's situation. Finn was starting to get pretty annoyed at Quinn. After all of the sacrifices he had made, the sacrifices he was currently making and the sacrifices he was going to have to make in the future, Quinn still insulted him with every word that came out of her mouth. Finn tried to be understanding - he played it down to hormones - but he still felt that Quinn could be a little less demanding and insulting. Everything would change pretty soon though, sooner than any of them could have expected…

On a cold, drizzly November morning, the Glee club were all sat in the choir room, waiting for Rachel and Mr. Schue to arrive. They were all shocked. Rachel was NEVER late for Glee. Like EVER. She was either dead, or close to it. Suddenly, Rachel burst into the room with a huge smile on her face.

"What's up Manhands?" Santana asked. "You finally trick someone into dating you?"

Everyone snickered and Rachel glared at her.

"Okay, look, I realize now that all of you think that glee club is just a joke. And you're convinced that we can't win, and you're content to just sit idly by until Figgins cancels the club. Well, I'm about to present to you a rare opportunity. The opportunity to become stars."

Everyone sat up, suddenly.

"How?" Quinn asked curiously.

"We've all been cast in a local commercial." Rachel announced. Everyone jumped up.

"Are you serious?" Finn asked, his eyes wide.

"Yup. Simply put, I'm making all of us celebrities. And no one messes with celebrities." Rachel stated.

"What's the commercial?" Tina asked, excitedly.

"Hold on to your hats and get ready to sell… mattresses!" Rachel exclaimed and there was an uproar of excitement from the club. A few hours later, the New Directions were on set in Mattress Land and they were in pajamas, doing their make-up and hair.

"I can't believe we're finally breaking into the biz!" Tina cried, clapping her hands together.

"You guys, I want us to always remember this moment. Soon, there may be agents and managers and movie deals, but right now I want us to remember what it feels like to be here together as a team." Rachel tried to calm them down.

"Whatever. Soon as I get my record deal. I'm not speaking to any of you." Mercedes answered honestly. Suddenly, the Mattress Land owner Mr. Cusberberg, and the commercial producer Mr. Robinson walked in.

"Okay, guys," Mr. Cusberberg said. "We're very excited to have you here. We here at mattress land believe that mattresses aren't just for sleeping and fornicating anymore. We believe that buying an affordable mattress should be fun.

"All right, let's go over the script. I think it's pretty brilliant. I wrote it myself. Action!" The producer, Mr. Robinson, said. The Glee club started reading the script, really badly.

_FINN: "Ah, me"_

_MERCEDES: "What's wrong?"_

_PUCK: "We just lost our jobs… at the factory, and we can't get a good night's sleep."_

_RACHEL: "Chipper up! Come on down to mattress land. We've got near-wholesale prices to fit your style and pocketbook!"_

Mr. Cusperberg and Mr. Robinson sighed. This is not very good at all. Rachel decided to speak up.

"I-I'm sorry. Mr. Cusperberg, this script is brilliant, but we're a glee club, and we should perform." Rachel said.

"Perform the lines as I wrote them." Mr. Robinson said, patronisingly. Mr. Cusperberg held up a hand.

"Wait a minute, Dennis. What did you have in mind…"

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Jump, jump, jump, jump!_

_[FINN]_

_I get up, and nothing gets me down_

_You got it tough, I've seen the toughest around_

_[RACHEL]_

_And I know, baby just how you feel_

_You've got to roll with the punches to get to what's real_

_[FINN]_

_Oh, can't you see me standin' here?_

_I got my back against the record machine_

_I ain't the worst that you've seen_

_Oh, can't ya see what I mean?_

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Might as well jump (Jump!)_

_Might as well jump_

_Go ahead and jump (Jump!)_

_Go ahead and jump_

_[ARTIE]_

_Oh, oh! Hey you!_

_[MERCEDES]_

_Who said that?_

_[ARTIE]_

_Baby, how you been?_

_You say you don't know_

_You won't know until we begin_

_Oh, can't you see me standing here?_

_I got my back against the record machine_

_I ain't the worst that you've seen_

_Oh, can't ya see what I mean?_

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Ah yeah, might as well jump (Jump!)_

_Might as well jump_

_Go ahead and jump (Jump!)_

_Go ahead and jump_

_[MERCEDES]_

_(Ahhh...hey...)_

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Jump!_

_[MERCEDES]_

_(Jump, yeah...)_

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Might as well jump (Jump!)_

_Might as well jump_

_Go ahead and jump (Jump!)_

_[MERCEDES]_

_(Hey, hey, yeah)_

_[NEW DIRECTIONS]_

_Go ahead and jump_

_Oh, jump, jump, jump..._

_Jump!_

"Come on down to mattress land!" They all shouted.

Meanwhile, back home, Will was going through dresser drawers and cabinets in their master bedroom, looking for his pocket square.

"Terri, have you seen my pocket square? Terri? Will called to his wife, who was cooking dinner. She didn't answer. He sighed and kept looking. It wasn't in any of his drawers, so he started looking through his wife's drawers. He went through his wife's sock drawer, and he found something stashed deep at the back of the drawer. It was a small pregnancy pad. Mr. Schue's jaw dropped. Everything clicked into place. Why, after more than halfway through the pregnancy, still wasn't allowed to feel the baby kick. Why he wasn't allowed to be in the door for the various sonograms. Will stormed downstairs and into the kitchen, grasping the pregnancy pad tightly in his hand.

"Terri?" He growled quietly.

"A pocket square's gonna make you look like Ted Knight." She said, not looking up from the stove.

"What is this?" He asked, keeping the same low, threatening growl. Sensing the tone, Terri looked up, and when she saw what was in his hand, she let out a small squeak, because putting on a straight face.

"It's a pregnancy pad. They have them at the maternity stores for trying on clothes so you can see how you're gonna look when you're showing. Kendra stole it for me so I could see if any of her old clothes would fit…" Terri said, but was cut off when Will hurled the pregnancy pad against the wall.

"Pick up your shirt." He said, quietly.

"What? No!" Terri squeaked, indignantly.

"Pick up your shirt." He repeated, his face livid.

"You're scaring me, Will. Think about what you're accusing me of. Think about it and turn around and go find your pocket square. Please?" She begged her husband, unsuccessfully. Will lifted up Terri's shirt and saw a slightly bigger pregnancy pad. He ripped it roughly off her stomach.

"Why did you do this to us? I don't understand!" He bellowed.

"I thought you were leaving me. You're so different, Will. We both know it. I can feel you. You're pulling away from me." She cried.

"Why, because I-I've started standing up to you? Trying to make this a relationship of equals?"

"No, because of the damn glee club! Ever since you started it, you just walk around like you're better than me!"

"I should be allowed to feel good about myself!" Will shouted, on the verge of tears.

"Who are we kidding, Will? This marriage works because you don't feel good about yourself."

"This marriage works because I love you, because I've always accepted you, good and bad."

"You loved the girl you met when you were 15. I'm not that girl!"

"You've made yourself a stranger to me now. Are you happy? Are you satisfied?!" Will started shouting again.

"It didn't start as a lie. I really thought I was pregnant. And then the doctor, he said it was a hysterical pregnancy, and I… I just panicked!"

"This is insane!" Will chuckled, mirthlessly. "What were you gonna do when the due date came?"

Terri took a deep, shaky breath before replying.

"Quinn Fabray. It was so perfect. She didn't want hers and I needed one."

Will shook his head in disbelief and sighed.

"I loved you, Terri. I really loved you.

"I'm so sorry, Will. I'm so sorry. Do you remember that doctor's appointment? Do you remember what we said? At that moment, no matter what happened, we loved each other. We could get that feeling back again. You could love me back, Will! Please, Will! Please, don't go! Please, don't go! Please!" She pleaded as Will grabbed his keys and stormed out the door. She put her head in her hands and cried. She had really screwed up.

On Monday morning, Coach Sylvester was watching TV, and the Glee Club's mattress commercial came on screen. Her eyes widened. This was it! Finally, the leverage she needed to bring down the Glee Club. She sped over to McKinley and into Principal Figgins' office.

"Schue, I'm afraid Sue is right. You have indeed stepped in it." The principal said to the confused teacher.

"No, I didn't even know this was going on." Mr Schue cried.

"Of course, you didn't, William." Coach Sue spat. "You wouldn't know if your glee club was using your office to breed rabbits for pets or for food. And you know why? You're too busy chasing tail and loading your hair with enormous amounts of product! I mean, today it just looks like you put lard in it.

"What are you even talking about?!" Will shouted. "Look, look, the kids did the commercial to foster a feeling of unity after you, not anyone else, YOU, got them banned from the yearbook. It was an innocent mistake!"

"And what if I were to just innocently murder you, Will? I'd still have to go to trial. Probably get off with justifiable homicide. Let me review the rules for you, William. Amendment 63, seventh addendum of the Show Choir rule book: no professional activity of any kind will be tolerated, and payment for services rendered negates amateur status, triggering immediate disqualification."

"You listen, Sue." Will started, threatening but Figgins cut him off.

"Hey, hey, keep it civil." Principal Figgins said.

"What, mister?!" Sue shouted, squaring up to Will.

"Hey, keep it civil, folks! Keep it civil. Look, I'm sorry, Schue, but I cannot let this slide," Principal Figgins said.

"But the kids weren't even paid!" Mr. Schue cried.

"There's a stack of mattresses in the choir room piled as high as the empty hair gel bottles in the dumpster outside your apartment!" Sue shouted back.

"Okay, we'll give the mattresses back."

"Schue, one of those mattresses was used. You can't return a used mattress. You can't even donate one to charity. Lice, bed bugs– I looked it up online!" The principal said.

Is there any reason that you have a soiled mattress in your office, Will? Have you and the redhead become so sexually depraved that you have to commit your craven acts of adultery in between classes?" Sue asked, referring to Ms. Pillsbury of course.

"What?" Principal Figgins asked, confused.

"You know what? Okay, fine. I slept here, all right?"

"Excuse me?" Principal Figgins asked, extremely confused now.

"I'm leaving my wife." Mr. Schue admitted. Sue and Figgins' mouths dropped.

"Well, I didn't see that one coming at all." Sue said, shocked.

"William, I am very sorry about your personal troubles, but my hands are tied. Sue's right– you broke the rules. I cannot fight the scholastic board. I'm sorry but the glee club is over."

Sue moved an inch from Mr. Schue's face. "It's over!" She shouted. She had won. Glee was over.

Will shook his head and left the room. His life was unraveling and he felt like crying. First, his marriage, and now the Glee Club might now even be allowed to compete.

He walked to Ms. Pillsbury's office and knocked on the door.

She smiled at him and, as a psychologist, immediately knew that something was wrong.

"What's up, Will?"

"It's my fault. If I hadn't slept on that mattress, we could've just returned them and moved on." Will said.

"Hey, can I give you some advice?" She asked, gently.

"Please."

"You need to give yourself a break. You do. You'll figure out what to do with the kids, you always do. But, I think right now you really need to focus on your own life. You know, divorce is a really big deal."

"Who said anything about getting a divorce?"

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry. I just assumed that that's…"

"Is that what you would do?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Well, when I first heard about what Terri had done, oh gosh, I thought there should be some sort of law. But, then when I thought about it some more, thought about what I would've done if I'd felt you slipping away…"

Mr. Schue shook his head. "You would never be that cruel."

"Don't get me wrong, her methods were wrong, but, um, I totally understand her intentions. You're a lot to lose, Will."

Will smiled at her. A genuine one, not the fake one he had been putting on a lot lately. He stood up.

"Well, I guess it's time to tell the Glee club."

"Good luck," She smiled.

"This can't be happening!" Artie cried and put his head in his hands.

"It's without me or not at all. Look, I was the one who slept on the mattress, which means I accepted them, not you. Which means I'm disqualified from competition, not you guys." Mr. Schue said, reluctantly.

"He's taking the bullet for us. Solid." Puck said.

"We have worked too hard for you guys not to get your shot." Mr. Schue stated.

"We can't do this without you, Mr. Shue. Hell, we probably can't do it with you." Mike said.

"That's not true. You guys are good. You're really good. You did "Jump" for that commercial without me, right? Look, the best teachers don't give you the answers. They just point the way and let you make your own choices. Your own mistakes. That way you get all the glory. And you deserve it. Look, if… If you can't win without me there, then I haven't done my job."


	9. Chapter 9

Rachel walked into Glee Club to rehearse for Sectionals later that week. She saw Artie, Tina, Mercedes and Kurt discussing who was going to replace Mr Schue as he obviously couldn't come to the competition as Sue managed to get him suspended. They needed someone else to lead them at the competition. However, that wasn't what was on her mind; something seemed odd and had been for the last two weeks.

She walked up to the group and asked them a question, innocently.

"Hey guys. Did anyone think it was weird the way Puck rushed to Quinn's aid in rehearsal yesterday?"

Mercedes' body language was the first to change. Her face filled with shock, but it was quickly masked by fake-innocence. What Rachel was referring to was that yesterday, Quinn fell over during rehearsal and Finn went to catch her before she fell. But Noah Puckerman at the same time went to catch her and they asked her if she was having the baby. Quinn crankily told them to shut up. But the way Puck looked at her made Rachel wonder if something was different. This led her to asking the rest of the group if they knew if something was up.

Mercedes shared a quick look with Tina before responding. "No?" She replied.

"I mean. He likes her… I mean- they're friends." Artie said, unconvincingly.

"Yeah but it seemed more than that. I never told you this before but I'm a little physic. I can't read minds or anything yet but I do have a sixth sense. Something is definitely going on there."

"Uh. We, we've got to go." Mercedes stuttered.

"But we have to practise." Rachel cried.

"Oh and we will." Kurt added, picking up his bag. "As soon as Mr Schuester names the faculty advisor to replace him."

Mercedes, Tina, Artie and Kurt walked out the room. Rachel called after them.

"There is nothing to be scared of. It isn't like I care or anything…" She lied.

She did care. Kurt knew as much. She was in love with Finn. She wanted to be with Finn because she felt this connection the first time she was with him in the auditorium. Seeing him with Quinn made her heart break and she was furious when she found out that Quinn was pregnant with his baby because there was no way Finn would ever leave her and his baby.

She thought about how much stress he is under. She never told him about my feelings for him. It would be unfair to him: telling him how she felt while he was about to be a father.

She was in the choir room and her curiosity was raised when she overheard Mercedes and Kurt talking in the ladies' bathroom.

"She will have to tell him eventually." Rachel heard Mercedes say.

"I know, we can't do it. He does need to know though." Kurt said.

'What are they talking about? What does Finn not know?' Rachel thought.

"I think that Rachel is suspicious about it. We shouldn't tell her though." Mercedes stated.

Kurt agreed with her. "She'll tell Finn if she finds out. She loves him after all."

"Let's go before this escalates any faster." Mercedes said. Both her and Kurt left and headed home.

'That was awkward. Is there a secret about something that I am not trusted with? Stop, Rachel. It is probably something of nothing.' Rachel thought to herself. She decided to go home and try and forget about it. It was probably just her being a bit nosy and not yet over Finn. When she got home, she had dinner and did her homework. She couldn't wait for Sectionals. It was a step towards her becoming a star and making it big in New York. There was pressure on them though. If they didn't win Sectionals for the second year in a row, and then place at Regionals, there wouldn't be a Glee Club anymore. Figgins and Sue would shut them down.

The following day, she got up and got ready for school. She had breakfast then she headed out to school. They were deciding on their final set list and getting ready for Sectionals at the end of the week. She got in early because She had nothing better to do.

She was sitting and was reading a magazine when she saw the rest of the class come in. She saw Mercedes, Tina and Kurt look at her with a funny look. Then she saw Puck and Quinn come in and were confronting each other. She began to eavesdrop in on the conversation.

"You have to go and get me to one of those Jewish Baby Tests." Quinn demanded.

'Wait, those don't exist!' Rachel thought. Did she think that Finn was Jewish?

"Why? Is that even a real thing?" Puck asked, confused.

"Because if there is something wrong with the baby, Terri Schuester isn't going to take it and I can't ask Finn cause he'll know something's up."

Rachel thought to herself. Being Jewish isn't wrong with the baby. Unless…

"Does this have to happen tonight because I have my fight club." Puck whined. Suddenly, it dawned on Rachel.

BAMM! That's what it is. Puck is also Jewish like Rachel. They went to the same synagogue, after all. Mr. Schuester walked into the choir room a few moments later, and announced that his Sectionals replacement would be Ms. Pillbury. Ms. Pillsbury took the lesson and they decided to do Proud Mary, Don't Stop Believing and Mercedes was soloing Now I'm Telling You. But all Rachel could think about was one simple fact. The fact that the club had kept from both her and Finn for so long.

Quinn was carrying Puck's child not Finn's. And Finn didn't even know. Rachel had to tell him.

After rehearsal, she asked Finn to come and meet her on the way out. He agreed. She thought about how would be the best way to tell him of the news about Quinn. They stood by the lockers and talked.

"It was pretty cool in there. I know that must have been hard for you."

"It was the right thing to do." Rachel interrupted. "I wanted to bring the team together."

"Yeah." Finn breathed and opened his locker. You know I have got to be honest. I'm kinda pumped about Sectionals. It has been a hard couple of months. With Quinn and the baby and everything… I don't know. I really think that winning could make everything good for a while, you know. Is that stupid?"

"It's not stupid at all." She replied. She tried to find the words to tell him, but she couldn't find the right words. Finn noticed her troubled facial expression.

"Is something up with you?" He asked.

"I want you to be happy Finn."

"Uh." Finn didn't know what to say.

"And when you care about someone, you can't sit around and watch them suffer when you know you can do something about it." She said. Finn started to get nervous.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it? Sectionals? The set list? Kurt's weird crush on me?"

"No. It is about Quinn and the baby."

"Rachel?" He asked, frowning. Rachel took a deep breath and composed herself, beforing breaking the news to Finn.

"You are not the father of Quinn's baby. She lied to you. Puck is the father."

She looked into his face and saw him go from anger to sorrow to confusion. She just reached up and gave him a hug. She knew that she had done the right thing.

Finn couldn't believe it. The girl that was his girlfriend, the one who, up until a few seconds ago, he thought was carrying his baby, was in fact carrying his best friend's baby. She had 4 months to tell him. Puck betrayed his friendship and Quinn went behind his back and slept with another guy. How did Rachel know? How long had she known? Finn needed answers.

"Rachel, how long have you known." He asked, calmly.

"Literally five minutes ago. I wanted to tell you there and then but I was afraid of being accused of being a snake by the rest of Glee."

"Who told you? Quinn certainly wouldn't have-"

"I worked it out. I overheard different conversions and put the pieces together."

"Explain. Rachel, take your time. Glee today, if someone calls you a traitor, know that I have your back." He reassured her. She took a deep breath.

"Ok. When I got to rehearsal yesterday, I saw Tina, Artie, Kurt and Mercedes all practising the songs that they wished to sing at Sectionals. I asked them about Quinn's fall on Monday and how it was odd Puck ran over to help you and Quinn. They all looked at each other and then Artie said that 'he liked her.' Then they all ran away and I knew that something was wrong. I then heard Mercedes talk to Kurt about not telling me something because I would have told you but that Quinn should tell you something."

"Ok, what happened next?"

"This morning, I got in early for Glee and overheard Quinn talking about a baby Jewish test to Puckerman because apparently she wants Terri Schuester to have the baby. That's when I start to put things together."

"Jewish tests? Are they real?"

"No. But it made me realise that Quinn was carrying Puck's baby. I'm sorry Finn that I had to tell you but I had to tell you before it was too late. The rest of the Glee club knows because of their body language but no-one told me."

Finn was overwhelmed from the sudden bombshell. He had been stressing out for 2 months about this baby and trying to help look after what he thought was his child but now wasn't. He should have known. Quinn was being a lot flirtier towards Puck which he passed off as hormones but, now thinking about it, was maybe because he was the baby's daddy. But the other thing was this. How could he trust members of the club when he knew that they had been lying to him? Finn took a deep, shaky breath and finally spoke.

"Rachel, if I get mad at the club. Please know that it isn't directed at you. It is directed at the others for lying to me." He said, quietly. Rachel nodded.

"Noted. Let's get to Glee." She said. They started walking to the choir room, and it was only then that emotion started to set in. Finn started to see red. He was absolutely fuming. Everyone in that Glee club - other than Rachel - was willing to let him ruin his future for a baby that wasn't even his, just so that they would do well at a High School Show Choir Competition. He spent almost 15000 dollars of money he could have spent on college. He quickened his pace to the choir room, and when they finally made it, Finn stopped right outside the door. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, softly. Finn shook his head.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm far from okay. I'm just trying to calm myself down enough that I don't end up getting arrested for assault."

A few moments later, he calmed down and walked into the room, Rachel close behind. Finn didn't confront anyone when he walked in: he merely nodded and took out Puck's guitar out of the case. Puck was talking to Quinn and had his back turned so couldn't see what was going on behind him. Then, rather than holding the guitar normally, Finn held it aloft like a baseball bat. Rachel knew what was about to happen, but she didn't stop Finn. Puck deserved it. Finn started to swing the guitar, and Quinn's eyes widened when she saw him.

"PUCK, LOOK OUT!" She screamed, and Puck started to turn around, but was too late. The guitar made contact with Puck's back, and with the force that Finn put into the swing, the guitar exploded into smithereens. Puck crumpled to the ground like a paper bag. But Finn wasn't done yet. He roughly dragged Puck to his feet, and threw him against the wall. Puck was close to unconsciousness, but Finn showed no mercy. He held Puck in a single hand choke, and with a herculean strength, held Puck a couple of feet in the air, and steadily squeezed. All of the guys tried to pull Finn away, but Finn was far too strong. It was almost like he had transformed into the Hulk. Suddenly, Mr. Schue walked into the room, and when he saw what was going on, he sprinted over to the two guys. When Finn saw him, he knew that he would have to let go of Puck. Finn got in one more vicious uppercut, before stepping back. The moment that Finn stepped back, all of the girls made a wall around Puck. They knew that it was unlikely that Finn would beat up the girls as well. Everyone had astonished looks on their faces that quickly faded into understanding. They realised that their secret was out. Sam watched the whole exchange, amused. Finn was clearly about to either quit, or get kicked out of Glee club.

"Finn, what the hell happened?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Tell the truth." Finn yelled at Puck, who was struggling to stand up.

"Punk came in and sucker-punched me." Puck muttered. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me Puck." Finn growled. Unless you want your whole body broken and dumped in the Ohio River."

"Who told you, Finn?" Quinn asked, sobbing.

"Obviously it was Rachel." Kurt remarked, sassily.

"What, I didn't do anything?" Rachel exclaimed, unconvincingly. Finn looked at her and shook his head.

"Yeah, it was Rachel but I want to hear it from you. I want to hear it from both of you." He snarled.

"Finn just calm down." Mr. Schue said, firmly.

"No they are both lying to me." Finn bellowed. He turned to face Quinn, who was crying in the corner of the room. "Is it true? Is what Rachel told me is true?"

"Yes, Puck is the father." She whispered.

"Where was that at the start you fucking slut? Playing the victim card doesn't help when you have lied you know?" Finn growled, not censoring his language one bit. Mr. Schue glared at Finn, giving him a look saying 'mind your language'. Finn didn't care though.

"It's not our fault. You were stupid enough to buy it?" Puck muttered. Finn couldn't believe it. Puck had the nerve to not take responsibility. Finn was standing next to the piano, so grabbed the metronome that was on top of it, and threw it at Puck. It hit him in the head and Puck crumpled once again.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down!" Mr. Schue told Finn, firmly.

"I am so sorry." Quinn cried.

"Fuck this." Finn said. "And how many of you knew about this? If you don't admit it now, I'll force it out of you. I know Rachel knew but who else?"

Everyone in the room - other than Rachel and Mr. Schue - put their hand up.

"That's it. You all knew and you wouldn't have told me. You were ready to have me ruin my life, just for a good performance in Sectionals. I'm out of here. Have fun in Sectionals." He spat.

"That is unfair Finn-" Mr. Schue started but Finn cut him off.

"No because they all lied to me. I'm done with all of you!" He shouted and stormed out, kicking a chair on his way out. Everyone's heads turned towards Rachel. She knew that this was where she was going to be taking the verbal beating for telling him the truth.

"Okay, attack me with your words." Rachel said. "I know what you are thinking. I'm not sorry for telling the truth. When did you all know?"

"You are a lying snake. You said you didn't care but you wanted him for yourself. Thanks to you, the Glee club has lost the member that makes it different to all of its rivals. The football player who can sing like a god and dance too. And I knew 3 weeks ago when Puck told me during practise." Mercedes said.

"This was part of your plan wasn't it?" Kurt snarled. "To break Finn and Quinn up and then Finn would come leaping into your arms. Well your plan might have succeeded but you have lost friends today and I knew a couple of days later when Mercedes told me."

After Kurt, Santana was the next to take a shot.

"Your personality is about as horrible as your fashion sense, dwarf. You are just a backstabbing cow who only cares about herself. And Puck told the club when Finn was out sick 2 weeks ago."

Quinn was the next to take a shot. She had gotten over her shock and sadness, and now was very angry.

"Thanks for ruining my life, you homewrecking bitch. I hope that when he drops you for someone much better than you and you have somewhere to go because it won't be here."

"GUYS, ENOUGH!" Mr. Schue shouted incredibly loudly. Everyone jumped. They had forgotten that he was still in the room.

"How dare you guys keep something like this from Finn, and then blame the one person who actually had the decency to tell him, whatever her motives might have been. If we didn't have Sectionals next week, I would end Glee club forever, right here, right now. But I'm not gonna do that. Instead, we've lost our best male singer and, honestly, I don't blame him one bit. I can't help you for Sectionals, and now neither can Finn. Good luck on Saturday," He said and walked out the room.


	10. Chapter 10

On the morning of Sectionals, Will and Emma were standing outside the bus. Emma had agreed to be the adult chaperone, as Mr. Schue had been disqualified.

"So, the competition starts at 11:00." Mr. Schuester said.

"Right." Emma replied.

"I'll have my cell phone on." He said.

"I know. You already told me. Three times. And you wrote it down." Suddenly, Jacob Ben Israel - the perverted school reporter who had no musical ability ran up to them. That was how desperate they were for a 12th member.

"Reporting for duty, Mr. Schuester." Jacob said. "I have to tell you, I get terrible public event anxiety."

"You know what, Jacob? It's okay." Emma replied. "We just need a 12th member. All right, so, um, just sway in back. You don't even have to sing."

"Yeah, don't even sing." Mr. Schue said.

"Okay." he said and got on the bus. Will looked at Emma again.

"Okay." He said.

"Great." Emma replied. Will sighed and looked down. He knew that this current group of students wouldn't be able to make it.

"God." Will muttered under his breath. The New Directions were missing someone, and he wasn't talking about himself. Ms. Pillsbury read his mind.

"So, um, still no word from Finn?" She asked.

"No. And I don't blame him. I can't thank you enough for this."

"It's no problem, Will." She said and climbed onto the bus.

Half an hour later, they had arrived at the venue and Ms. Pillsbury had checked in the New Directions at the front desk. She walked over to the kids, who were sitting in the waiting area.

"Okay. So, smooth sailing so far, we're all signed in and, um, according to the program, you have drawn performance slot number three." She said.

"We're going last? Isn't that bad?" Tina asked.

"Hardly." Rachel said. "This is good news. My extensive auditioning for community theater has taught me that we either want to go first or last. If we're first, then everyone has to measure up to us, and if we're last, then we're freshest in the judges' minds."

"And did you ever get any of those parts?" Kurt asked. Rachel scowled at him.

"I'm with Rachel on this." Ms. Pillsbury said. "The glass is definitely half full of some very good things right now."

"Yeah, Ms. Pillsbury's right. I mean, we're here now, right? No reason not to go in with some positive mojo." Mercedes said.

**Thirty minutes later**

"Don't Stop!"

Aural Intensity belted out the last notes of Don't Stop Believin'. The New Directions mouths dropped. Their setlist had clearly been leaked. They went on in an hour and they had nothing to sing.

"MEETING IN THE GREENROOM, NOW!" Rachel shouted over the audience's applause at the end of the song. They all got up and ran to the green room. They were freaking out!

Emma called Will. "We've got a problem. They're doing all of our numbers. The kids are completely freaking out. Artie keeps ramming himself into the wall, and I'm pretty sure Jacob Ben Israel wet himself."

"I knew it!" Will shouted over the phone. "Sue leaked the set list."

"Will… Will, these kids need a leader right now." Emma said.

"Just hold tight. I know what to do." He said determinedly.

"Okay." She said, and hung up the phone. Will stormed out of the choir room and saw Coach Sylvester walking down the hall.

"Sue! What kind of teacher are you?" He yelled. She turned around.

"Hey, buddy! I just came by to feed my Venus Flytrap." She smirked.

"You leaked the set list! And you are not going to get away with it!"

"That is a libelous accusation, and I insist you retract it immediately. You have no proof."

"No proof? You are the only person who had the list!"

"But, other than that, you have no proof. It's time to face facts, William at 1 P.M. this afternoon, your little club will have had its shot at the big time, and they will have failed. Glee club will be canceled, and all that money Figgins has been funneling into your budget will finally and rightfully be restored to mine."

You have crossed the line. I am not going to sit idly by anymore. I am going to expose you for the fraud that you have become."

"Bring it on, William. I'm reasonably confident that you will be adding revenge to the long list of things you're no good at. Right next to being married…"

"Don't." He growled.

"Running a high school glee club, and finding a hairstyle that doesn't make you look like a lesbian. Love ya like a sista." She ruffled his hair and he slapped her hands away.

"Get your hands off me." He snarled menacingly.

"You're not going to push a woman, are you? I didn't think so." She still smirked widely. Mr. Schuester stalked off and looked for the only person who would be able to help the New Directions get a victory, even in these current circumstances. Mr. Schuester walked into the auditorium and heard Finn playing the piano and singing.

Don't speak, I know just what you're sayin'

So please stop explaining'

Don't tell me 'cause it hurts

"Hey Finn, I thought I might find you here." Mr. Schue said. Finn jumped in surprise and turned around to face the teacher.

"Yeah, you know, writing my own music."

"Sounds like something that could've waited till Monday." Mr. Schue commented. Finn sighed.

"Have you heard anything?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's pretty bad. I can't be there."

"And I can? I can't even be in the same room as either of them without wanting to beat the crap out of them. Hell, every single person in that group other than Rachel is at risk. They all screwed me over. Look, I don't know what's going on right now, but I do know that the Glee club can't sing if their teeth are knocked out. So they're better off without me."

"I don't have any more pep talks, Finn. You know I know how you feel. All I know is that, between you and me, I don't think that they can win without you."

"But that's not fair. Why does it always have to come down to me? Why do I always have to be the bigger man? That's been the case since I was 5, and now, I'm just done."

"Because sometimes being special… sucks."

"I just want everything to be like it… Like it never happened, you know?"

"Well, Finn…you can't always get what you want. Listen, I'll be in the choir room." Mr. Schue said and started to walk out the door when Finn called him back.

"Oh, Mr. Shue, you forgot your keys."

"No, I didn't." He called as he left the locker room. Finn sighed. He knew that however hard he tried to refuse, he would be at the auditorium to help the Glee kids.

"Who did this? Who leaked our setlist?" Mercedes demanded.

"Well let's think about it. What about someone who used to be in Glee but quit a week ago. Someone who has a huge grudge against everyone in the club and has nothing to lose." Kurt remarked, sarcastically.

Rachel shook her head. "No… no this wasn't Finn. He wouldn't do this."

"OK, then who could it be?" Kurt asked.

"I did it." A voice came from the corner of the room. "Coach Sylvester asked for the setlist and I didn't know what she was going to use it for so I gave it to her." Brittany said, looking down.

"How could you be so stupid, Brittany?" Kurt shouted.

"Hey, Lady Hummel. Back off! You're not so perfect yourself!" Santana defended her best friend.

"Guys, we don't have time to waste blaming each other. We need a leader. Like now. Mr. Shue was disqualified from coming, and Finn, you know…" Artie said, playing peacekeeper within the group. Suddenly, they heard someone from the door.

"Wow, guys. I was watching the other groups. Those songs sound a tad familiar!"

Everyone turned to face the person. It was Finn.

"Look Finn. We screwed up. We're all sorry. But we're freaking out right now, so…" Tina started but was cut off.

"I want to help you guys."

Everyone's jaws dropped.

"You do? Why?" Quinn asked.

"Well, I hate almost everyone in this room. But I'm not going to let down Mr. Shue and Rachel. They're the only people in this room who aren't dead to me. Also, I know for a fact that he can't sing." He said, pointing to Jacob, who wasn't listening, and was just staring at Rachel.

"How do you know that? For all you know he could be better than all of us," Kurt retorted.

"Really? Well, that's not what he said this morning. What was the reason you told me you joined, Jacob?" Finn asked.

"Finn's right. I can't sing." Jacob replied. "The only reason I joined was to get into Rachel's panties." He remarked with a creepy smile on his face.

Finn laughed mirthlessly. "That was it. So do you guys want my help or not? If not, it's fine. I'll leave you with Pervy Perverson and be on my way."

"NO! Wait. Please stay. There's no way we stand a chance of winning without you. You're our male lead. Jacob, get the hell out of here." Kurt said. Jacob was still drooling over Rachel as he was picked up and thrown out the room by Finn and Puck.

"OK, so what's the plan so far? First of all, does anyone have an opening solo prepared or should I do it?" Finn immediately switched in his team leader mode. He had a lot of experience from being the captain of a lot of sports.

Nobody spoke.

"OK, I guess I'm doing it. Then, Mr. Shue gave me the idea to get these. I printed these out with the cheerios copier and then got angry again so beat the shit out of it. Don't tell Coach Sue it was me."

Finn put down two files on the table. The Glee Club each took a part out of each file and read it.

"Look, our choreography is going to be choppy, but all we can do now is sing our hearts out. Mike, Santana, Matt, Britney, you're our best dancers. Try and come up with some choreography to go along with the songs. The rest of us gotta practise singing these songs."

Finn turned around and began to walk to the corner of the room, when he was stopped by Puck. Puck held out a hand.

"Look, man. For what it's worth, I'm really sorry. I wanted to tell you."

"That means nothing to me." Finn spat as he shoved past Puck and walked away. Quinn's eyes teared up. They spent the next half hour rehearsing, before they were called backstage. They were all extremely nervous, and Finn gave them a final pep talk.

"Look guys, this is not going to be perfect. We're not the team with the biggest budget, or the team with the most people. But we do have the most heart. We're not just competing in the competition, we're fighting to keep New Directions alive. And this is my first and last performance with you guys and I kind of want to win. All we can do now is sing our best, and pray to god we have sympathetic judges. Hands in everyone. New Directions on three. One. Two. Three."

"NEW DIRECTIONS!" They all shouted and separated. New Directions were announced and they all wished Finn luck for his solo. They had no idea what he was about to sing, but they trusted him. He immediately noticed Ms. Pillsbury and Jacob in the audience as he walked to the microphone center stage.

He waited for the music from the speakers to start to play, and he took a deep breath. He started to sing…

_Broken heart again another lesson learnt_

_Better know your friends or else you will get burn_

_Gotta count on me 'cause I can guarantee_

_That I'll be fine_

The New Directions listened to Finn's lyrics. They could almost hear the pain in his voice. The whole Glee club, especially Puck and Quinn, were feeling awful.

_No more pain, no more pain,_

_No more pain,_

_No drama, no more drama in my life_

_No one's gonna make me hurt again, yeah_

_Oh, It feel so good when you let it go_

_Of all the drama in your life_

_Now you're free from all the pain_

_Free from all the games, free from all the stress_

_You find your happiness_

_Oh, no more pain, no more pain_

_Oh, no more games to mess with my mind_

_No more, no more, no more_

_No more drama in my life_

_No one's gonna make me hurt again_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[James Arthur - No More Drama](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhNOZ8O9BGE) **

Finn had channelled all of his hurt, his anger, his humiliation, his sorrow into his singing. By the final chorus, the audience were clapping and cheering loudly. Finn had absolutely destroyed the song, and he gave the Glee club a great starting point in a Sectional that they were already predicted to lose. After the song, the rest of the Glee club approached the stage, and they sang Some Nights and You Can't Always Get What You Want. They had truly made the best of a bad situation and had turned the tables on the rest of their competition. They were suddenly the favourites to win. Sure enough, New Directions were announced as the Ohio Sectional Champions. They boarded the bus with their trophy. Finn walked all the way to the back of the bus.

"Let's go! We're headed to Regionals! Glee Club lives another day!" Puck shouted.

"Yeah thank you so much, Finn for putting aside your differences to help them. I'm sure that they couldn't have done it without you." Ms. Pillsbury said, smiling at him.

"I didn't do it for them, I did it for Mr. Schue. They mean nothing to me."

Tina walked up to him.

"Well thank you so much, whatever your motivation was. We would have had to drop out if it weren't for you. And we're honestly really sorry. Me, Artie, Mike and Matt wanted to tell you, but Quinn made us swear not to tell you." Tina said.

"Look I get it. You were doing what you thought was best for your team. But you were so willing to let me ruin my life, for a child that isn't even mine."

They didn't talk much during the bus ride home. When they reached McKinley, they went straight to the choir room. Mr. Shue was nervously pacing around the choir room. He broke out into a huge smile when they walked into the room with the large Sectionals trophy in Rachel's hands. He hugged all of the students. He arrived at Finn.

"Finn, thank you so much for helping them out. You didn't have to do that, but I think the result would have been very different without you."

"No problem Mr. Shue. And I'm sure the rest of Glee would have found a way to win, even if I didn't come."

"I'm not so sure."

"Well, it's been fun, I guess. See you guys around." Finn said. Everyone looked at him in shock and disappointment. They had assumed that after he had saved the Glee club from elimination, he would stay for Regionals and Nationals.

"Is there any way you could stay?" Rachel asked.

Finn shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's just every time I see you guys, I get angry. And there's gonna come a time that I'm not gonna be able to hold back the anger anymore and people are gonna get hurt."

Finn walked out the room. Everyone looked down. Mr. Shue's smile immediately changed to a scowl.

"Look guys, Finn's a damn good singer and an amazing leader. And thanks to your lying and betrayal, he's probably gone for good. Just please, with the next person we bring into Glee, don't do the same thing. We can't afford to have people as good as Finn leave like that. And I haven't even heard an apology to him from half of you. I don't mean to sound like your parents, but you guys acted like selfish children. What if he never found out, and the baby was raised as his? He would never be able to go to college! He would have been stuck pumping gas on the side of the highway. Would you guys be able to live with yourselves, knowing that you've ruined his life?"

Nobody spoke.

"But look guys, what's done is done. Congrats on Sectionals. Now we have Regionals to focus on. Our opponents are The Unitards and another group called Throat Explosion."

They all started to leave the choir room. It was Saturday, so they still had the rest of the weekend. None of them did much that weekend. They were all thinking about Finn, and how they had driven him out of the club. They all felt really guilty.


	11. Chapter 11

After Sectionals, Finn had officially quit the Glee club, and it had left a huge hole in the group. They were severely lacking in the male vocal area. They were also one person short of the number they needed to compete in Regionals. Finn had made no effort to contact anyone over the Christmas holiday - despite the fact that they were blowing up his phone. It soon hit Boxing Day, and Finn was spending it with his mom. They were sitting in the living room, taking down the Christmas tree and singing along to Christmas songs when Carole turned to her son.

"Finn?" She asked, hesitantly. He turned to her, smiling, and he nodded.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Are you… are you happy?" She asked. Finn sighed.

"I'm a million times happier than I ever was before - my problems now are a lot less significant now than when I was on the streets." He replied, honestly. Carole shook her head.

"That's not what I asked. I didn't ask if you're happier than you were 6 years ago. I asked if you're happy. So are you?" She asked again. Finn reluctantly shook his head.

"Honestly, not really." Finn chuckled, mirthlessly. He knew that he should be happy. After all, he had food, water and a roof over his head.

"Is it because of what happened with Quinn?" She asked.

"Well, yeah actually. I still can't believe that all of them were willing to let me think that it was my kid, just so that we would win Sectionals. Like what would happen when the baby comes, and I see that it looks nothing like me? What lame-ass excuse would they use now."

"Well Finn, can I give you some advice?" She asked.

"Please."

"Don't let others run your life. If you enjoy singing, you should go back to Glee. It doesn't mean you have to love your teammates."

"Mom, it's not that easy. If I had something against just a couple of them, I would definitely go back. But it's literally all but two of them." He explained. Carole thought for a moment.

"Well, how about this. Why don't you take the Christmas break to cool off, and if you still feel that way by the time term restarts, then don't rejoin. But I feel like distance will make the heart grow fonder. I know how much you love to sing. I literally hear you singing all the time." She said. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Now I just need to ignore everyone for the rest of the Christmas break." Finn said. Carole smiled.

"I think you're gonna find it easier than you think." She replied and, suddenly, the doorbell rang. Finn walked over to the door and opened it. His jaw dropped. It was George, Harry and Liam, his best friends from Canada. The guys were like brothers to him, and they were there for him when Finn was at his lowest.

"GUYS! What are you doing here?!" Finn embraced. He embraced the three of them, and invited them inside.

"We came to see you! What the hell dude! Not even a text in like 3 months!" Liam shouted, playfully.

"Sorry. Lot on my mind." Finn said, quietly. The guys could practically see the sadness seeping out of Finn.

"Dude, you okay?" George asked, concerned. Finn and George had a particularly tight relationship. They were coming back from a Toronto Raptors basketball game one night, when a group of thugs tried to jump them. Finn, having lived on the streets himself for 7 years, fought them off, saving George's and his own life. Finn shook his head.

"Long story." Finn replied.

"Well, get your bag Finn. We're leaving now." Liam said. Finn looked at him, confused.

"My bag? What? Huh?" Finn asked, stupidly. Suddenly, Carole walked up behind him and handed him a duffel bag and his guitar case.

"Here you go, son." She said, simply. Finn was even more confused now.

"Um… what's going on?" He asked. Everyone smiled at him.

"We're going camping for the next week! It'll be just like old times!" Harry exclaimed. Finn laughed and smiled at the 3 other guys. They all clambered into their rented truck, and took off towards the woods. George, Harry and Liam had already packed a large tent for the four of them, pocket knives, flashlights, a saw for cutting firewood, fishing rods, and finally, 4 sleeping bags and pillows. It was everything they could possibly need for a week of camping. The four guys loved camping together. Back in Canada, they went camping at least one weekend a month, and would go for a full week during the holidays. They were all Canadian so they were pretty much immune to the cold. Harry volunteered to drive, and Liam called shotgun, so George and Finn were forced to squeeze into the back, along with all of the camping equipment. As they drove, Harry, Liam and George caught him up on everything that happened in Finn's old school. Then, George turned to Finn.

"So Finn, what's going on with you?" He asked. Finn sighed.

"Well, I almost had a kid. That's pretty interesting I guess." He said, casually. Liam choked on the water he had just taken a sip from.

"Um… what?" He asked.

"Yeah, it was a very long story." Finn said.

"Finn, I swear to god, if you abandoned your own kid, I'm gonna park the truck right now and dump you on the highway!" Harry threatened. Finn rolled his eyes.

"So, basically, what happened was that I joined our high school Glee club and then started dating this girl - Quinn. She was the head cheerleader of our school and I was the quarterback so it was kind of expected. We slept together on the first date."

"I call slut!" Liam yelled, gleefully. Finn sighed.

"Story's not over. So, yeah, we slept together, and later that week, Quinn came and told me that she's pregnant and that I was the father. She ended up living in my fucking house because her Catholic parents kicked her out! I worked a job every day after school for the next few months to provide for the kid. I paid nearly 15,000 dollars in doctor's bills, prenatal vitamins, etc. Then, a couple of months into the pregnancy, this other girl, Rachel, who kinda has a crush on me, told me that Quinn was playing me, and that I wasn't the father. Turns out, she was right. Quinn had slept with the school man-whore a week before, and she had played me. The reason she went out with me and slept with me was that she knew that I could take better care of the baby than the actual father could, so she needed a way for me to believe that I was the father. Well, mission accomplished. And I would have never found out if it weren't for Rachel."

When Finn finished his recount, George put a sympathetic hand on Finn's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Finn." he said.

"There's more." Finn replied with a sigh. George's eyes widened.

"Seriously?" He asked, astonished.

"Yup." Finn said, almost bored. "The real kicker for me, was that everybody in the Glee club knew that I was being played, but none of them told me. They didn't want me to quit right before Sectionals. They prioritized a show choir competition over my whole damn future."

The three other guys listened to his story, astonished at what had happened to their friend.

"Well, what did you do?" Liam asked. Finn smiled, embarrassedly.

"I kinda beat the crap out of the real father of the baby and then quit the Glee club. They've been blowing up my phone all holiday, trying to get me to come back. They are one person short of the number needed to compete in Regionals, and I'm the only good male singer in the group."

"Well, are you gonna go back?" Liam asked. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know. I'm isolating from all of them for the holiday, and then I'll hopefully have calmed down about everything by the time school restarts. I'm probably gonna go back, to be honest."

"WHY?" Harry asked, flabbergasted. "If it was me, I would do whatever I could to make them fail at Regionals. And that includes never rejoining the group."

"Come on, dude." Finn said. "If you fight fire with fire…" He started but George cut him off.

"The world will go up in smoke." George finished. "Yeah, you say that all the time. But at the same time, we're worried about you. We don't want you to get screwed over again. Lord knows it has happened enough."

Finn shrugged.

"Like I said, I don't know yet." He admitted. Finally, they made it to the campsite. They all got out of the car and set up their campsite in a gorgeous meadow, on the edge of the woods. They were somewhere at the edge of Ohio, but Finn had no idea where. A creek gushed nearby and the spectacular scent of pure, unadulterated nature wafted up Finn's nostrils. They set up the tent, and then split off into two groups: George and Finn would be hunting/fishing/gathering for dinner; Harry and Liam would be collecting enough firewood for the night and would be setting up the campfire. Finn and George walked to the edge of the lake, and they both casted fishing rods into the water. They then sat down and waited for a gullible fish to clamp down on their hooks. As they waited, they started gathering different herbs and leaves that they needed for the meal.

"So, how are you doing mate?" Finn asked as they picked some herbs and put them in the basket.

"Pretty good, I guess. School's been pretty normal. We all miss you, man!"

Finn chuckled. "Thanks, man. I miss you guys too. Literally you, Liam and Harry are like my brothers."

"Yeah, right back at you. And also, weird thing, the three of us might be moving for senior year. Our dads' jobs might get relocated."

Liam's dad, George's dad, Harry's dad and Carole all worked for the same mega-corporation. Obviously, Carole had been relocated the year before to Lima, and the other three guys' parents didn't know where in the world they could be relocated.

"Well, hopefully you don't move too far. Hey, maybe you'll move to the States!" Finn exclaimed. George shrugged.

"I don't know, man. I'm trying not to think about it." He said. Finn nodded. They soon finished gathering and went back to see if they had caught any fish. Sure enough, all four fishing rods had caught a fish. They walked back to the campsite and saw that Harry and Liam had built a roaring fire. They started grilling their fish and then ate dinner together by the campfire.

"So Finn, have you written any songs lately?" Harry asked. Finn loved to write his own songs and they were actually pretty good.

"Yeah, a few." Finn admitted.

"Well, sing us one!" Liam exclaimed as he ripped off a piece of fish.

"Yeah, sing one!" Harry agreed with his friend. Finn sighed and took out his guitar. He had written a song during the ample free time he had during Christmas break. Despite the fact that he was, romantically, at the lowest point he could possibly be, Finn had still managed to write a half-decent love song. He started to pluck the strings of the guitar and sang along.

_I met you in the dark, you lit me up_

_You made me feel as though I was enough_

_We danced the night away, we drank too much_

_I held your hair back when_

_You were throwing up_

_Then you smiled over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I was stone-cold sober_

_I pulled you closer to my chest_

_And you asked me to stay over_

_I said, I already told ya_

_I think that you should get some rest_

_I knew I loved you then_

_But you'd never know_

_'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go_

_I know I needed you_

_But I never showed_

_But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed_

_I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head_

_And I'll take the kids to school_

_Wave them goodbye_

_And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night_

_When you looked over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I forget that I'm older_

_I wanna dance with you right now_

_Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever_

_And I swear that everyday you'll get better_

_You make me feel this way somehow_

_I'm so in love with you_

_And I hope you know_

_Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold_

_We've come so far, my dear_

_Look how we've grown_

_And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I wanna live with you_

_Even when we're ghosts_

_'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most_

_I'm gonna love you 'til_

_My lungs give out_

_I promise 'til death we part like in our vows_

_So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows_

_That it's just you and me 'til we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Oh, just say you won't let go_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yW7w8F2TVA)

At the end of the song, the other guys clapped for him.

"Wow, that was actually good!" George exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"You sound surprised," He replied.

"Did you write that song for that Quinn girl? Or that Rachel girl?" Liam asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nah, I wrote this song over the past week or so. I didn't write it for anyone. I just like writing love songs. They're pretty easy to write."

"Well, that was really good. Like record deal level good!" Harry said. Finn smiled. He spent a blissful week camping with the 3 boys, but it had to come to an end as the boys' flight was the day after. They drove back to Lima on Sunday afternoon. Finn had school the day after, and he was still debating whether he should rejoin Glee or not. Harry parked the truck in front of Finn's house, and Finn hopped out the car. The guys quickly said their goodbyes.

"Dude, don't be a stranger! You should come visit! Or, at least call!" George exclaimed. Finn nodded and then walked into his house. Carole greeted him as he walked through the door.

"Hey, son!" She exclaimed and gave him a hug. "How was your trip?"

"It was pretty fun," Finn replied. "It was great to see those guys again. They're like my family, you know?"

Carole nodded.

"So, did you decide on whether you're gonna go back to Glee?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"I think I'm gonna go back." Finn decided. "You were right. I don't have to love who I'm working with, but I do love singing. "

She nodded. "Well, I'm happy for you. Now go shower. You look terrible."

Finn smiled and walked upstairs. He hurled his duffel and guitar onto his bed and walked into the shower. It had been a really fun week, and he was excited to get back to school for the next term. He decided that he wasn't going to rejoin Glee immediately. He was going to 'play hard to get.' After a long, refreshing shower, Finn climbed into bed. As much as he loved camping, he was glad to be back under his soft duvet and in his comfy mattress. Finn fell into a dreamless sleep, thinking about everything that had happened that month.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Finn woke up happier than he had been in a long time. He had football training in the morning, followed by Glee, if he chose to show up. With Finn as the Quarterback and the captain, the McKinley High Titans had qualified for Conference finals for the first time in two decades. The school was absolutely buzzing: several people walked up and congratulated Finn as he entered the school gates. Finn smiled politely but was secretly uncomfortable with all of the attention. He was used to being treated like dirt from when he lived on the street. Girls kept coming over to him and hitting on him. Finn managed to make it to the locker room, and changed into his football gear. As he was about to walk out onto the field, another young man walked into the locker room. It was Puck. To his surprise, he didn't felt an urge to throttle Puck. Instead, Finn just felt bad. After all, Finn had dodged a bullet that Puck had instead been hit with. Puck was going to be a dad. His whole future was in jeopardy. Finn walked over to the guy, and Puck looked up at him.

"Hey, Puck," Finn said. Puck immediately tensed up and moved to protect his face. He clearly hadn't forgotten the beatdown that Finn had given him before the break. The bruises on his face proved that. Finn sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Chill out, dude. I wanna apologise for kicking your ass." Finn said. Puck looked at him, confused.

"Dude, I should be the one apologising." Puck said. "Look, I know I definitely should have told you. But for what it's worth, I genuinely wanted to tell you. But Quinn said that she wanted you to be the father of the baby. She said that I was a Lima loser and that it didn't matter if the baby came out with a fucking mohawk - she would go down to the grave claiming that it was yours."

Finn nodded and took in the information. To be honest, he had expected as much. He was now angrier than Quinn more than anyone else.

"Man, it's OK. I forgive you, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed. But a lot less now. Besides, we have Conference coming up, and we have to work as a team."

Puck grinned and nodded.

"Hell yeah! So does that mean you're coming back to Glee?" he asked. Finn sighed.

"I don't know, man." Finn said.

"Come on! We need you for Regionals!" Puck exclaimed.

"Look, if it was just you and Quinn I was angry at, I would definitely come back. But it's literally everyone who screwed me over. Why should I help you?" Finn asked.

"Honestly, you shouldn't. You have no moral obligation to help us. But, frankly, we need you. We can't win without you. And anyways, I think you'll enjoy what we have planned. We have a full out tournament to see who solos at Regionals. Like with a bracket and everything."

Finn looked up, interested. That actually sounded pretty fun.

"Look, I'll think about it. I don't know for sure yet." Finn said, and walked onto the field. Puck smiled faintly.

**A couple of hours later...**

"Guess he's not coming." Rachel said, dejectedly.

"I still feel terrible about what happened." Tina said. "I tried to apologise to him so many times during the break, but he never answered anyone's calls or texts. I even went to his house once. He wasn't there."

"Yeah. I feel real bad too. Hey, Quinn! How the hell did you rope us into lying for you?" Mike asked.

"Not my finest moment." She muttered and scowled at them. She had just entered her third trimester of pregnancy, and was in a state of extreme uncomfort. However, it was made much worse when she thought about what she put Finn through. She had just been thinking about herself, not how it affected the father of the baby.

"OK, I guess we start." Mr. Shue said, sighing. He too thought that Finn would return.

"I'm here! I'm here! Sorry I'm late!" Finn said, bursting into the room. Everyone gasped.

"Finn, you came back?!" Mr. Schue exclaimed. Finn shrugged.

"Well, Puck said something about some kind of competition. I couldn't miss that. Gotta claim the title of best singer in the Glee club." Finn said. Everyone smiled, and a worried look flitted briefly across Rachel's face. She knew that Finn was her only rival in the competition.

"Yeah, so Puck was right. We're doing a singing tournament, with the winner getting to sing our solo at Regionals, and possibly Nationals if we make it. They also get a custom-made crown and are dubbed 'Best singer in New Directions.' For every round, I will give you guys a theme, and you have to sing a song that relates to the theme. In Round 1, the 12 of you will be cut down to 6; In Round 2, the 6 will be cut down to 3; In Round 3, the 3 will be cut down to 2. And then the two remaining contestants will compete in the grand final. In the grand final, rather than me just picking a winner, you guys, as well as Coach Beiste, Ms. Pillsbury and I, will be voting on the winner. Everyone understand?"

"Yeah." Everyone chirped in reply.

"Cool. I'm going to draw names from the hat for a tournament bracket." Mr. Schue said, and started taking out names.

"Rachel!" Mr. Schue read the first name. "Will be competing against… Quinn!" He read the second name. He did this for everyone else.

"Sam! You will be competing against… Kurt!"

"Mercedes! You will be competing against… Santana!"

Oof, that's a tough match-up, Finn thought to himself. Mercedes and Santana were both incredible singers and it was a shame that one of them would be out at the end of Round 1. And there was no way of telling who it would be.

"Tina! You will be competing against Artie!"

"Finn! You will be competing against Mike! And that leaves Brittany against Puck. Your first theme will be Break-ups.' You have tonight to prepare, and you will all be performing tomorrow. Good luck and start preparing!"

Finn relaxed a little. Mike was infamously the worst singer in the Glee club: Finn had Round 1 in the bag. Rachel shot up and sprinted out the room, presumably to the auditorium. Finn rolled his eyes and left the room shortly after. Rather than going to an empty classroom, or the auditorium, Finn opted to go to the bleachers outside. When he arrived, the field and bleachers were deserted so he sat down and took out his guitar. After playing through the song a couple of times, Finn sensed movement behind him. He turned around. It was Quinn.

"Can I sit down?" She asked. Finn nodded and she sat down on the cold, hard bleachers next to him.

"So how's the baby?" Finn asked.

"She's good…" Quinn started, but was cut off.

"She?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Quinn nodded.

"Yeah, we found out the sex of the baby over the Christmas break. But that's unimportant. I came to apologise."

"Quinn, it's fine." Finn said.

"NO! It isn't! What I did was unforgivable! I could have ruined your life!" Quinn cried.

"But you didn't. I found out. But answer me this: are you still going to keep the baby with Puck? With me, you were adamant about keeping it. Is it the same, regardless of the father?"

Quinn sighed.

"I honestly don't know. I've been looking into adoption." Quinn admitted. Finn looked her in the eye.

"Can I give you my advice?" Finn asked.

"Please." She replied. Finn's mouth dropped in surprise, and Quinn noticed. "What?" She asked, giggling.

"No, it's just when I was the 'father', you refused to listen to me for absolutely anything." He remarked. Quinn laughed.

"Yeah, sorry about that. But what was your advice?" She asked.

"Go with what's best for your child. You and I both know that adoption will give the kid a better life. And if you seriously love that kid, you'll do what's best for her."

She smiled at him and nodded.

"Thanks, Finn. And just one more thing. Why did you get so much angrier at Puck than me? Like you almost killed Puck, but you just ignored me."

Finn looked down at the ground in shame, and he blushed.

"Honestly? You won't get offended?" Finn said. Quinn nodded.

"Yeah, I swear I won't get offended. I just wanna know." She said. Finn sighed.

"Well, the only reason I didn't go full Mike Tyson on you as well is that I didn't want to hurt your baby. If you weren't pregnant, I think that I would beat you up as well. I'm sorry. I spent the holiday with some old friends so I've calmed down now. You have nothing to worry about."

She smiled at him again.

"Thanks, Finn. And once again, I'm truly sorry. And I'm rooting for you to win the Glee competition."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you root for yourself?" He asked, confused. She shook her head.

"Oh come on! We all know that you, Rachel, Mercedes or Kurt are going to win. The rest of us are just competing for fun."

Finn laughed.

"Don't sell yourself short! You could still win! Or at least make it to the finals!"

"Thanks, Finn. And thank you for everything you did for me when you know…"

"No problem." Finn said, and Quinn stood up and walked away. Finn smiled to himself. He finally had closure on the whole baby fiasco. He could finally move on, despite the fact that he was now broke due to paying for 4 months of the pregnancy.

The next morning, Finn was the last to walk into Glee rehearsal. Mr. Schue smiled at him as he entered the auditorium.

"Hey, Finn! You're just in time! We're about to start the performances!"

Finn nodded and sat down in the corner of the room.

"So, the first match-up will be Mercedes vs Santana. Which of you would like to start?" Mr. Schue asked. Santana raised her hand. Mr. Schue smiled and Santana approached the stage. She stood before the microphone and the music started to play. Everyone recognized the song instantly. It was Back to Black, by Amy Whinehouse - a perfect song for Santana's vocal range and style.

_He left no time to regret_

_Kept his lips wet_

_With his same old safe bet_

_Me and my head high_

_And my tears dry_

_Get on without my guy_

_You went back to what you knew_

_So far removed from all that we went through_

_And I tread a troubled track_

_My odds are stacked_

_I'll go back to black_

_We only said good-bye with words_

_I died a hundred times_

_You go back to her_

_And I go back to_

_I go back to us_

_I loved you much_

_It's not enough_

_You love blow and I love puff_

_And life is like a pipe_

_And I'm a tiny penny rolling up the walls inside_

_We only said goodbye with words_

_I died a hundred times_

_You go back to her_

_And I go back to_

_We only said goodbye with words_

_I died a hundred times_

_You go back to her_

_And I go back to_

_Black, black, black, black_

_Black, black, black_

_I go back to_

_I go back to_

_We only said good-bye with words_

_I died a hundred times_

_You go back to her_

_And I go back to_

_We only said good-bye with words_

_I died a hundred times_

_You go back to her_

_And I go back to black_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Glee - Back to Black](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btjdpj_Vr1s) **

At the end of the song, everyone clapped. Santana had done a really good job; Mercedes had her work cut out for her. Mercedes then walked up and sang her song. She had chosen Mariah Carey's We Belong Together.

_I didn't mean it_

_When I said I didn't love you, so_

_I should have held on tight_

_I never shoulda let you go_

_I didn't know nothing_

_I was stupid, I was foolish_

_I was lying to myself_

_I could not fathom that I would ever_

_Be without your love_

_Never imagined I'd be_

_Sitting here beside myself_

_'Cause I didn't know you_

_'Cause I didn't know me_

_But I thought I knew everything_

_I never felt_

_The feeling that I'm feeling_

_Now that I don't hear your voice_

_Or have your touch and kiss your lips_

_'Cause I don't have a choice_

_Oh, what I wouldn't give_

_To have you lying by my side_

_Right here, cause baby_

_(We belong together)_

_When you left I lost a part of me_

_It's still so hard to believe_

_Come back baby, please_

_'Cause we belong together_

_Who else am I gon' lean on_

_When times get rough_

_Who's gonna talk to me on the phone_

_Till the sun comes up_

_Who's gonna take your place_

_There ain't nobody better_

_Oh, baby baby, we belong together_

_I can't sleep at night_

_When you are on my mind_

_Bobby Womack's on the radio_

_Saying to me_

_"If you think you're lonely now"_

_Wait a minute_

_This is too deep (too deep)_

_I gotta change the station_

_So I turn the dial_

_Trying to catch a break_

_And then I hear Babyface_

_I only think of you_

_And it's breaking my heart_

_I'm trying to keep it together_

_But I'm falling apart_

_I'm feeling all out of my element_

_I'm throwing things, crying_

_Trying to figure out_

_Where the hell I went wrong_

_The pain reflected in this song_

_It ain't even half of what_

_I'm feeling inside_

_I need you_

_Need you back in my life, baby_

_When you left I lost a part of me_

_It's still so hard to believe_

_Come back baby, please_

_'Cause we belong together_

_Who else am I gon' lean on_

_When times get rough_

_Who's gonna talk to me on the phone_

_Till the sun comes up_

_Who's gonna take your place_

_There ain't nobody better_

_Oh, baby baby, we belong together, baby_

_When you left I lost a part of me_

_It's still so hard to believe_

_Come back baby, please_

_'Cause we belong together_

_Who am I gonna lean on_

_When times get rough_

_Who's gonna talk to me_

_Till the sun comes up_

_Who's gonna take your place_

_There ain't nobody better_

_Oh baby, baby_

_We belong together_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Mariah Carey - We Belong Together](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0habxsuXW4g) **

Mercedes stepped off stage and walked back to the audience. Both singers had done a superb job, and Mr. Schue was having trouble deciding on who to declare the winner. Finally, 10 agonising minutes later, Mr. Schue put Santana through to the quarter finals, eliminating Mercedes from the competition. She stormed out of the room in anger, and everyone congratulated Santana. Finn tuned out the next few performances. Him and Mike were the last match-up to perform anyways. Rachel, as expected, won her watch-up against Quinn, singing a stellar version of Need You Now. Surprisingly, Puck and Brittany put on a decent show. Brittany sang a decent cover of Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball, and Puck sang 'For the First Time' by The Script. Puck ended up emerging victorious. Kurt easily breezed by Sam, singing a soulful cover of Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye. Tina and Artie were also pretty good. Artie sang 'Stitches' by Shawn Mendes, which ultimately triumphed over Tina's 'Shake it Out' by Florence + The Machine. Finally, it came time for Finn and Mike's competition. Mike wasn't very good. His cover of Running Low by Shawn Mendes was pretty flawed. He couldn't hit half the notes in the song. Finn was the final person to perform. He stood up and walked onto the stage. He decided to choose one of his favourite songs, but an acoustic version of the song. The soft piano music started to play, and Finn took a deep breath.

_Ohhhhh yeaaaaahhh…._

_What have I got to do to make you love me_

_What have I got to do to make you care_

_What do I do when lightning strikes me_

_And I wake to find that you're not there_

_It's sad, so sad_

_Why can't we talk it over_

_Oh it seems to me_

_Sorry seems to be the hardest word_

_What have I got to do to make you love me_

_What have I got to do to make you care_

_What do I do when lightning strikes me_

_What have I got to do, yeah_

_What have I got to do, yeah_

_When sorry seems to be the hardest woo-oooo-oooo-ooooo-oooo-ooord_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Dalton Harris - Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NCvTxbnuZ8) **

Finn held the last note for an impressive amount of time before stopping and taking a breath. He got a standing ovation from the Glee club for his performance. Unsurprisingly, Finn qualified over Mike for the quarter finals. Mr. Schue looked at everyone.

"OK, guys, that was great! Finn, Rachel, Puck, Artie, Kurt and Santana have qualified for the Quarter finals, but you all did a great job. You all did much better than I thought! I'm now going to draw names for the quarter finals match-up." He said, and took out the hat once more. He wrote down the remaining contestants' names and put them in the hat. He then proceeded to draw and call out the names.

"Puck! You will be against… Finn!"

Finn looked at Puck and smirked. Finn could afford to have a little bit of fun this round.

"Artie! You will be against… Rachel! And that leaves Kurt against Santana. Your theme this time will be… self-love. Good luck! You'll be performing next week."

Everyone stood up and left the room. Finn was the last to leave the room. It had been a long day, and he was tired. He made it home shortly, and fell asleep immediately. He was genuinely happy for the first time in a while. It was an amazing feeling. But it wouldn't last…


	13. Chapter 13

Later that week, Finn walked into morning football practise, and he already had the sense that something was wrong. The locker room was empty: usually when Finn arrived, there were quite a few people, but today there wasn't. Finn shrugged and changed into his cleats. He then walked outside, and the minute he walked out, he could hear loud screaming and yelling. He jogged over to the direction of the noise, and what he saw astonished him. The temporary peace treaty between the Glee club and the Football had clearly been broken. 8 large football players - including Karofky and Azimio (the largest guys in school) - had cornered Santana and Brittany in the alley. Karofsky was even holding a switchblade. Finn quickly made it, and foolishly stood between the two parties.

"Guys, what the hell is going on?!" Finn shouted. The football players kept advancing towards Santana, Brittany and now, Finn.

"They disrespected us. Glee club Regionals are the same day as the Conference finals. They're going to Glee club Regionals. They need to be taught a lesson!" Azimio snarled.

"So you're gonna beat them up?" Finn asked, appalled. Karofsky shook his head.

"No. We're also gonna slash them a bit with the knife." Karofsky growled. Finn knew that they weren't kidding. Santana knew it too. She had started trembling and tears ran down her cheeks. Brittany, however, had no idea what was going on. Finn maneuvered himself so that he was blocking Santana and Brittany from the angry footballers. The jocks noticed.

"No fucking way, Hudson! You're siding with them?! Do we have to rough you up too?" A footballer yelled. Finn nodded his head.

"Look. Here's how it's gonna go down." Finn said, walking towards the advancing jocks. "You guys are gonna fucking walk away and leave them alone before I get pissed and beat the living shit out of you guys." Finn said, menacingly. Santana watched him, astonished. There was no way he could beat up 8 guys, could he? Well, she was about to find out. Finn squared up to the 8 guys, and both parties waited for the other to make the first move. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only around 3 seconds, the jocks lunged at Finn.

Finn immediately went into 'fighter mode'. From a young age, he was used to fighting to fighting off gangs, and knew how not to get overpowered. He made sure to constantly keep moving and preventing the guys from circling him. He kept them in a pretty straight line so he was only fighting one guy at once. He then would lash out at each guy individually. He grabbed Azimio and literally threw him against the wall and caught him as if he was a baseball. He then threw Azimio into one of the incoming jocks. Azimio's weight caused the jock to fall over and hit his head on the ground. They were both unconscious. 6 guys left…

Santana watched in amazement as Finn fought off the 8 guys. She had dragged Brittany down the alley, and the two girls sprinted away from the scene to look for a teacher. They found Coach Beiste, Mr. Schuester and Coach Sylvester talking in the staff room.

"Lopez! Pierce! Where the hell is my football team?!" Coach Beiste shouted at the two girls, as they burst through the staff room door.

"Football team… cornered us… alley… Finn came… He's fighting 8 people… Karofsky… knife." Santana panted, trying to catch her breath. The two coaches' eyes widened.

"Where are they?" Coach Sylvester demanded.

"The alley behind the dumpster." Santana said. The two coaches took off from the locker room towards the alley, and Santana and Brittany followed them. Santana was afraid at the sight that she was about to see. Had Finn been overpowered? Had they beaten him to a pulp? Had Karofsky stabbed him? The girls ran after the coaches and, 30 seconds later, they made it to the alley. Santana's mouth dropped.

Finn was standing over 8 unconscious jocks. Karofsky's arm, presumably the one that previously held the knife, was completely mangled. The knife! Where had it gone? Santana looked around frantically for the knife, and when she found it, she almost threw up. The small blade was sticking out of Finn's upper right arm. Mr. Schuester noticed too, and he ran over to Finn.

"Finn! Your arm!" Mr. Schue shouted. Finn looked at him, confused, and then looked down and saw the knife. Surprisingly, Finn didn't even flinch when he saw the blade. He stayed calm, and took off his sweatshirt. He then removed the blade from his arm, and wrapped his sweatshirt over the small slice. Luckily, the blade was small: he probably wouldn't even need stitches. It looked scary though.

"Problem solved." Finn muttered. Coach Beiste surveyed the damage. Many of the jocks were starting to gain consciousness, and they all grumbled in pain.

"What the hell happened?" Mr. Schue asked. Santana and Finn explained everything that had happened to them. At the end, Finn turned to his teacher.

"Um… Mr. Schue. I won't get in trouble for this, right?" Finn asked. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No. You acted in self-defense. If anything, they might get arrested for pulling a knife on you guys."

Finn nodded, and walked to the nurse's office to get bandaged up.

**A Few Hours Later**

"Figgins! This is bullshit! The boy broke my son's arm! He should be expelled!" Mr. Karofsky shouted at Principal Figgins. Finn, Carole, Karofsky and his dad were called into Figgins' office. Apparently, Karofsky's dad wanted Finn to be punished, despite the fact that Karosky was fully at fault. Unfortunately, Mr. Karofsky poured so much money into the school, that Figgins was obligated to side with the Karofskys. Carole and Finn were fuming.

"With all due respect sir," Finn said, not yet losing his cool, despite the fact that he wanted to kick the crap out of both Karofsky men. "Your son, and 7 other guys, attacked two of my friends, who are tiny girls by the way, with a knife. I just happened to hear one of them screaming so I ran over. There were no teachers around me. What would you have done in that situation?" Finn asked Mr. Karofsky. Mr. Karofsky's face flushed red.

"I… Um… I… I…" He didn't know what to say.

"Clearly, despite the fact that you have been on the earth for many, many, many, many, many…"

"Get to the point." Mr. Karofsky growled. Finn smirked. He had successfully gotten under the man's skin.

"Yeah, so, you had no better solution than I did. I knew that I could have taken all 8 guys, without permanently injuring one of them. Your son said, and I quote, that he was going to slash the 2 girls a bit with the knife. I don't see how I could be blamed for anything."

Figgins was unsure. He knew that Finn was right, but he needed the money that the Karofskys donated to the school.

"Figgins! I demand that Mr. Hudson is punished. He should be banned from competing in all football or Glee competitions for the rest of the year. If this isn't the case, know that I will not donate another penny to this school, and I will transfer my son to Private education."

Figgins looked down. Finn and Carole both knew what he was about to do.

"That's bribery, Principal Figgins! You can't do this!" Carole exclaimed. Figgins shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hudson. You assaulted 8 guys. You broke Mr. Karofsky's arm. You have been banned from competing in any extra-curricular competitions for the rest of the year. You're lucky the Karofsky's aren't pressing charges."

Finn and Carole left the room. Finn was pissed off. He couldn't compete in Conference Finals, Regionals, State Finals, or Nationals. His junior year was pretty much over. He walked over to the choir room, where the whole Glee club was waiting. Santana ran up to him.

"What did Figgins say? You get detention or something?" She asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nah. I… Uh… I'm not competing in Regionals. Or Conference Finals. I'm being banned from competing in all Glee or football competitions for the rest of the year. Karofsky's dad blackmailed Figgins. I'm sorry guys. I'm outta here." Finn said, dejectedly. Everyone was astonished, and Mr. Schue was furious.

"This is bullshit!" He shouted and stormed over to Figgins' office. When he entered the room, he saw Coach Beiste and Coach Sylvester already in the room. Mr. Schue scowled at Coach Sue.

"WAS THIS YOU?!" He shouted at Coach Sylvester. "WAS IT YOU WHO GOT MY BEST SINGER BANNED?!"

"AND MY BEST FOOTBALL PLAYER!" Coach Beiste shouted, facing Coach Sue as well. Coach Sue stood up.

"Will, I know that you and I have had our differences in the past, but I swear this wasn't me. That kid probably saved two of my Cheerios' lives. He acted like a hero, but was treated like a villain. This was all Figgins." She said. Mr. Schue turned to Principal Figgins, who was slouching in his chair.

"What the hell?" He growled at the Principal. "What in the world did Finn do wrong?"

"It's not what he did wrong. It's who was in the other party. The Karofsky family pour a lot of money into this school every year. That funding goes toward your precious Glee club and football team. So, you need to take the hit. Hudson's a good kid. He just got mixed up with the wrong people."

Mr. Schue slammed a hand on the table. The last time he had been that angry was when he found out that his wife wasn't pregnant.

"LOOK, FIGGINS! The kids are supposed to be our top priority. You're prioritising money over a student's well-being. That's not a school. That's a business."

"I'm sorry, Schue. My hands are tied. Finn's banned." Figgins said. All three coaches, for the first time, were united in their frustration, and they stormed out of the room.

Back in the choir room, the Glee club minus Finn - Finn had already gone home - were all huddled together. Santana and Brittany were still in shock about everything that had happened. They could have died today, Santana thought. Finn had the opportunity to walk away, unharmed, but he did. Why didn't he? It's not like Finn was dating either girl. He risked his life to save his friends - the same 'friends' who had lied to him and betrayed him a month before.

"I still can't believe what happened." Rachel said, shaking her head in denial.

"Yeah, the jocks have gone WAY too far! I mean, they pulled a knife on the two of you!" Tina exclaimed. "Santana?" She asked. Santana was still staring into space, and her mind was everywhere.

"Yeah? Huh?" Santana said, confused. She had been pulled from her train of thought when she heard someone mention her name. "Sorry, I have a lot on my mind right now." She said. Everyone nodded sympathetically.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Mercedes asked. Santana shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. I just feel really guilty. Finn got himself impaled, and kicked out of the Glee club and football team, just to save two people that, just over a month ago, lied to him and almost ruined his life." Santana murmured.

"Don't worry.

Finn rode his hog home that night, angry. His junior year was pretty much over: he couldn't do any of the extracurriculars that he loved so much. When he entered the house, Carole walked over to him.

"Hey, Finn. You okay?" She asked, giving him a hug.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He murmured. He walked up to his room, and closed the door behind him. He was about to do something he wasn't proud of, and could be arrested for if caught. Finn opened his laptop and immediately turned on the extension that scrambles the computer's location and search history. He would be completely untraceable. Then came the hacking. Because of the lack of football and Glee, Finn had a lot free time for the next few days, so he spent the next few days hacking onto databases and social media applications and using facial recognition softwares to track where Mr. Karofsky had been in the recent past, looking for anything that he could use as blackmail. What he saw surprised him. He found pictures of Mr. Karofsky getting a lap dance in a strip club, Mr. Karofsky kissing a woman who wasn't his wife, and hacking onto Mr. Karofsky's phone revealed a series of texts with someone that Finn presumed was a mistress. He was in his room all weekend, working hard to develop the blackmail file. On Monday afternoon, Finn deemed it finally time to execute his plan. He had hacked onto the phone, and from that phone, he sent a text to Mr. Karofsky.

_Hey baby, Sheraton. Room 316. 11 pm. Tonight_

Finn sat back after he had sent the message. He now had nothing to do but wait for Mr. Karofsky to respond. Thankfully, the man responded quickly.

_Sure. Wife's out of town tonight. I'll be there_

Finn smiled. He now had a couple of hours before the blackmail would begin. He decided to make it to the hotel early. He grabbed his car keys and walked downstairs. Carole was mopping the floors when he came downstairs, and she looked at him, confused.

"Finn, it's 10 pm. Where are you going?" She asked. Finn smirked.

"I'm taking back my spot in the Glee club and Football team." Finn said, determinedly. She raised an eyebrow.

"What are you going to do?"

"The devil's work." Finn said, bluntly. Carole rolled her eyes.

"I'm not gonna ask any questions. You know, for plausible deniability."

Finn laughed.

"Good idea." He replied, laughing.

"Just don't get arrested, please. I won't be able to afford your bail."

Finn nodded.

"I'll try my best." He said, and then walked out the door, leaving a very confused and worried Carole behind. He drove to the hotel, and walked into the room he had rented the day before. He cut the lights, and sat down on the revolving desk chair. He grasped the blackmail file tightly. It was his only chance of returning to Glee and football. Finally, the clock struck eleven, and Finn heard a knock on the door. He scowled and walked over to the door and opened it, hiding behind the door as the man walked in.

"So, Amy, let's get down to business, shall we?" Mr. Karofsky said, unbuckling his belt. He hadn't seen Finn yet. Finn smirked at him.

"Yes, daddy," He responded, cockily. Mr. Karofsky spun around in shock.

"What are you…" He asked, but his voice trailed off. Finn walked slowly towards the man. He wasn't at all intimidated, despite the fact that he was about to blackmail one of the richest men in Lima.

"Listen up, Mr. Karofsky. You are going to walk into Figgins' office tomorrow morning, and you are going to tell him that I am going to be allowed to compete with both the Glee club, and the football team. You do that, and I will destroy this file, and the copy of it I have hidden somewhere in Ohio. If you don't, the contents of this file go on the internet. I'm sure that your superiors would love to see these pictures - you seem to really be enjoying that lap dance! And she looks pretty young too. Maybe even younger than 18." Finn said, threateningly. Mr. Karofsky paled as he looked through the contents of the file. After he was finished, he looked at Finn.

"How do I know that you will destroy the files?" He asked, gruffly. Finn smiled

"Guess you're gonna have to trust me. And never try to ruin my life again." Finn said. Mr. Karofsky thought for a moment and sighed.

"Fine. We have a deal…"


	14. Chapter 14

During Glee rehearsal, the 11 Glee club members were sitting around. They were discussing their plans for Regionals, given that they were, once again, one male lead short.

"Guys, what do we do?" Rachel asked, frantically.

"Yeah, Finn's gone. There's nothing we can do!" Kurt cried.

"Screw Regionals. I'm more worried about Conference finals. First of all, they brought the date forward by a month, now we have no Quarterback!" Puck shouted. Sam scowled at him.

"Hey! I'm a QB!" Sam yelled. Puck and Mike rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what he means." Mike said. "A good QB."

Sam tried to lunge at Puck and Mike but Mr. Schue ran into the room, and all the drama instantly stopped.

"Guys! We need to find a new member for the New Directions! Regionals are in a month!"

Everyone sighed.

"We don't want a new member. We want Finn!" Santana exclaimed. Everyone shouted in agreement.

"Well, we don't have Finn. And we have the Karofskys to thank for that." He said, glumly.

"Not so fast." Finn said, walking into the room. Everyone's jaw dropped.

"Finn! What are you doing here?!" Mr. Schue asked, confused. He was just as happy as the rest of the Glee club though.

"Mr. Karofsky had a… change of heart." Finn said, cryptically. Everyone looked at him strangely.

"What? Did you blackmail him or something?" Puck asked. Finn put on a face of mock-indignance.

"WHAT? NO! How dare you?! Of course not!" Finn said, and then winked. They all noticed.

"You just winked!" Mercedes exclaimed. Finn kept the look of indignance on his face.

"No I didn't." He said, matter-of-factly, and then winked again.

"You just did it again!" Santana cried.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Finn said, and then winked once again. Everyone laughed and Finn sat down on one of the chairs. Mr. Schue stood at the front of the room.

"OK, guys. Now for the next round of our tournament. We have Finn vs Puck, Santana vs Kurt, and Artie vs Rachel. As you guys know, your song should be about what you love about yourself and/or others. Finn, would you like an extension until the next Glee rehearsal as you didn't get a chance to spend any rehearsal time on your choice?"

Finn shook his head.

"Nah, I'm good thanks. I'm just gonna have a bit of fun with my next song. I don't mind if it gets me kicked out of the tournament."

Mr. Schue looked at him, surprised, and then nodded.

"OK, in that case. Why don't you and Puck go first. Finn, you will be performing first. What song will you be singing?"

"I'm gonna be singing my cover of 'Sexy and I Know It' by LMFAO." He said, confidently. Everyone chuckled. Finn quickly took out his guitar and walked to the front of the band. He nodded to the band, and then started strumming the guitar.

_Oohh...ah_

_When I walk on by, girls be looking like ''oh, he's fly!''_

_And I'll pimp to the beat, walking on street in my new la freak, yeah!_

_This is how I roll, animal print pants out of control_

_It's a Red Foo with a big afro and just like Bruce Lee, rock out the club_

_Oh! oh! girl! look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, this is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, show it, show it, show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh, i'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh.. yeah!_

_When I'm at the mall, security just can't find them all_

_When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo, trying to tan my cheeks,yeah_

_And this is how I roll. Come on ladies, It's time to go_

_We headed to bar, Baby, don't be nervous_

_No shoes, no shirt, I still get service!_

_Oh, oh girl, look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, This is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, Show it, Show it, Show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

**To hear the song, click:**

[James Arthur - Sexy And I Know It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGmGnD_1qN8)

Finn had put on a bluesy, soulful spin on the terrible LMFAO song and had made an excellent cover of it. He got a loud round of applause for his effort. Rather than pouring emotion into the song like he did the first time, he had fun with the hilarious song. Puck was next up, and he sang What I Like About You by The Romantics. It was a decent performance, but Finn made it through to the semi finals, as expected. Rachel and Artie were the next match-up, and Rachel's performance blew Artie's right out of the water. Rachel was the second person who made it to the semi finals, and then Santana emerged victorious over Kurt to take the final spot. The semi-finalists - Santana, Finn and Rachel - would have to sing a song about 'Feminism'. The top 2 would advance to the final. Finn already knew what song he wanted to sing. They had until the next day to prepare for the performance. Time flew by and before they knew it, they were back in the auditorium for the semi finals. Mr. Schue walked to the front.

"Santana, you will be going first. Rachel, you will be second. Finn, you're going last. Good luck, you guys!"

Santana walked onto the stage. Finn smiled to himself. The Glee competition had been a lot of fun. And he was so close to claiming the title of 'Best Singer in the Glee Club.' Santana strutted confidently to the microphone and sang her song.

_You, you love it how I move you_

_You love it how I touch you_

_My one, when all is said and done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_And I, I feel it after midnight_

_A feelin' that you can't fight_

_My one, it lingers when we're done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_I don't wanna waste no time, yeah_

_You ain't got a one-track mind, yeah_

_Have it any way you like, yeah_

_And I can tell that you know I know how I want it_

_Ain't nobody else can relate_

_Boy, I like that you ain't afraid_

_Baby, lay me down and let's pray_

_I'm tellin' you the way I like it, how I want it_

_And I can be all the things you told me not to be_

_(Yeah)_

_When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing_

_(Yeah)_

_And he see the universe when I'm the company_

_It's all in me_

_You, you love it how I move you_

_You love it how I touch you_

_My one, when all is said and done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_And I, I feel it after midnight_

_A feelin' that you can't fight_

_My one, it lingers when we're done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_I'll tell you all the things you should know_

_So, baby, take my hand, save your soul_

_We can make it last, take it slow, hmm_

_And I can tell that you know I know how I want it, yeah_

_But you're different from the rest_

_And boy, if you confess, you might get blessed_

_See if you deserve what comes next_

_I'm tellin' you the way I like it, how I want it_

_And I can be all the things you told me not to be_

_(Yeah)_

_When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing_

_(Yeah)_

_And he see the universe when I'm the company_

_It's all in me_

_You, you love it how I move you_

_You love it how I touch you_

_My one, when all is said and done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_And I, I feel it after midnight_

_A feelin' that you can't fight_

_My one, it lingers when we're done_

_You'll believe God is a woman, yeah, yeah_

_Yeah, yeah_

_(God is a woman, yeah)_

_My one_

_(One)_

_When all is said and done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

_You'll believe God_

_(God is a woman)_

_Oh, yeah_

_(God is a woman, yeah)_

_(One)_

_It lingers when we're done_

_You'll believe God is a woman_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Ariana Grande - God is a Woman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLHSlExFis)

At the end of the song, everyone applauded. Santana smirked at everyone and strutted off stage. Finn clapped politely, but inside, he was a bit nervous. Santana had pulled off a great performance, and he was sure that Rachel would do similarly. Sure enough, Rachel put on a top-class performance of Most Girls, by Hailee Steinfeld. Rachel's performance was better than Santana's - in Finn's opinion - so he was probably looking at a Rachel vs Finn final, provided Finn performed well. He walked on stage and got ready to sing. The music started to play, and Finn started to sing.

_Listen to the song here in my heart_

_A melody I start but can't completeListen, to the sound from deep within_

_It's only beginning_

_To find release_

_Oh, the time has come_

_For my dreams to be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside and turned_

_Into your own_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen_

_Listen, I am alone at a crossroads_

_I'm not at home, in my own home_

_And I've tried and tried_

_To say what's on my mind_

_You should have known_

_Oh, now I'm done believing you_

_You don't know what I'm feeling_

_I'm more than what you made of me_

_I followed the voice you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own_

_You should have listened_

_There is someone here inside_

_Someone I'd thought had died_

_So long ago_

_Oh, I'm screaming out, and my dreams will be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside or worked_

_Into your own_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen_

_Listen, I am alone at a crossroads_

_I'm not at home, in my own home_

_And I've tried and tried_

_To say what's on my mind_

_You should have known_

_Oh, now I'm done believing you_

_You don't know what I'm feeling_

_I'm more than what you made of me_

_I followed the voice you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own_

_I don't know where I belong_

_But I'll be moving on_

_If you don't_

_If you won't_

_Listen to the song here in my heart_

_A melody I start_

_But I will complete_

_Oh, now I'm done believing you_

_You don't know what I'm feeling_

_I'm more than what you've made of me_

_I followed the voice you think you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own_

_My own_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Dalton Harris - Listen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCGIUFnJwDo) **

Finn's performance was incredible. He held every note perfectly - even his high notes and whistles were clear as day. He got the loudest cheers and applause out of the three semi finalists. It didn't take long for Mr. Schue to deliberate. Finn and Rachel were declared the two finalists, and they had 2 weeks to prepare for the performance. There was no theme for the final: they could sing whatever song they wanted. Finn already knew what song he was going to do. He was going to sing his favourite song, and he was going to have a unique factor to his performances. Both Rachel and himself were amazing singers, so Finn needed a factor to make his performance different to Rachel's. He planned to do a completely stripped cover of the song. It would just be him and his guitar. Finn left the auditorium and started to walk down the hallway when someone called after him.

"Finn! Wait up!" They called. Finn turned around to face Santana.

"What's up Santana?" Finn asked. "Your performance today was great by the way."

She smiled at him, a genuine smile, not her traditional cocky smirk.

"Thanks. You were incredible too. I realised that I never actually thanked you for what you did for Brittany and I a couple of weeks ago. You could have died, Finn!"

Finn smiled back.

"No problem. I would have done it for anyone." He said. She nodded.

"That's just it. I know you would have done it for anyone. You're that nice. I'm so sorry for not telling you earlier about Quinn. You didn't deserve any of that."

Finn nodded.

"Thanks, it means a lot. You know, other than Puck and Quinn, you're the only person that has apologized for that. And, no offense, you're like the last person I would have thought it would be."

She laughed.

"Yeah, well anyways, thanks. Britt would thank you too, but I don't think she really understood what happened."

Finn chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, she looked a bit confused." He remarked. Santana nodded and she turned around to walk away. As she walked away, Finn called after her.

"You ever gonna do it?" He asked. She turned around, confused.

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

"You ever gonna ask Britt out?" Finn asked. Santana's face paled and she quickly walked back towards him, dragging him into an empty hallway.

"Who says that I like Brittany?" Santana challenged him. Finn rolled his eyes.

"You kidding? When you were being cornered in the alley, I could see that you weren't scared about yourself getting hurt: you were scared about Brittany getting hurt. And nobody is allowed to insult Brittany in any way, shape or form, otherwise angry Santana is on their tail. And finally, when I mentioned it, your face went from normal, to pale, to blushing red."

She looked down, and avoided eye contact with him.

"OK, Fine. I might have a small thing from my girl Britts. But YOU CAN'T TELL ANYONE! DO YOU HEAR ME?! She whisper-yelled, grabbing his shirt collar. Finn raised his hands in surrender.

"Chill out!" He said, laughing. "I'm not gonna out you. But for the record, you two would be great together."

"It's not that easy." Santana muttered. "You saw what happened to Britt and I, even without us being lesbian. I wouldn't be able to handle it if someone hurts Britt, and it's all my fault. She's so happy and innocent." Santana said, with tears in her eyes. Finn pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, it'll be ok. But can I just say one thing? If you let others dictate your happiness, you're letting them win. And anyways, since when does anyone tell Santana Lopez to do?"

She laughed slightly, and she smiled at him.

"Thanks, Finn. You're a really nice guy. If I was straight, I would totally date you." She said. Finn grinned.

"Thanks, I guess. Doesn't change the fact that yet another Valentine's is coming around, and I don't have a date." Finn joked. She laughed.

"Well, answer me honestly: do you actually want a date?" She asked. Finn sighed and shook his head.

"Honestly, not really. First of all, I'm not about to date some random Cheerio (no offense.) I kinda have to know the person first. And secondly, Quinn drained me of all my money - I literally have like 10 dollars to my name right now so I wouldn't be able to do anything special with my date."

She looked at him and had a look of sympathy in her eyes.

"Finn… I'm so sorry. I don't think any of us realised how much baby gate really affected you." She said, softly. Finn shook his head.

"It's fine. Trust me, I've been put through a lot worse. And not by friends. Family too."

"Your dad…" She murmured, remembering the little snippets of information that Finn had told the Glee club about his past. Finn nodded.

"Finn, if you ever need to talk, I swear, I'm here."

Finn smiled at her.

"Thanks, Santana. That was actually really nice." Finn said. Santana rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it, Frankenteen!" She exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"And she's back!" Finn remarked, giving her a hug. They both ended up going their separate ways. Little did they know that that moment would be the start of a powerful friendship.


	15. Chapter 15

"Valentine's day." Mr. Schue said, as he walked into the room. Those who were in relationships (Puck & Quinn, Mike & Tina, Sam & Mercedes) were all sitting next to each other, the girls holding flowers, cards and chocolates. Finn had always found Valentine's Day to be a little frivolous - it was a waste of time and money in Finn's opinion. He sat in the corner of the room, all alone. He watched Santana walk into the room and sit next to Brittany, as usual. He could tell that she was still thinking about what he had said to her a couple of days before.

"Who here loves Valentine's day?" Mr. Schue asked. Everyone but Finn raised their hand. Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really, Finn? You're gonna be _that_ guy?" He asked. Everyone laughed and Finn shrugged.

"What can I say? I prefer Christmas. Doesn't mean I can't rock an insane love song though."

Mr. Schue smiled and nodded. Finn had pretty much read his mind.

"Well, funny you should say that." Mr. Schue started. "Today's assignment is simple. You and your partner will sing a love duet together. The best duet, voted for by all of us, will receive an all expenses paid dinner for 2 at Breadstix."

Finn sighed and sat back in his chair. He wasn't performing so he got to watch the various couples do their thing. He watched Puck and Quinn sing a cover of Just Give Me a Reason. Surprisingly, them being together didn't anger him at all. Quinn seemed a lot happier with Puck than she ever had with him, and he was glad. Her due date was growing nearer, so she needed to be as happy as possible leading into that point. The next couple to perform were Tina and Mike, who performed a really bad cover of You're the One that I Want. Finally, Sam and Mercedes performed a cover of The Greatest Love of All. They were pretty good. Finn could tell that Santana wanted to perform, but was still having reservations. They made brief eye contact, and Finn nodded at her slightly, encouraging her to go. She took a deep breath and stood up.

"OK. My turn." She said, barging past Mercedes and Sam who were walking back to their seats, and she stood before the microphone. A soft melody started playing, and Santana took a deep breath.

_Heart beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone_

_All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

Throughout the song, Santana kept eye contact with Brittany, and only Brittany. Both girls gazed at each other lovingly, too afraid to tell each other how they felt. Santana's eyes started to well up with tears, but she held them back and forced herself to continue singing. Finn smiled to himself. Santana, one of the most closed off people he knew, was finally confronting her emotions.

_Time stands still_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything, take away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath, every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed, I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_One step closer_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed, I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

At the end of the song, everyone cheered and clapped loudly. They all knew who Santana was singing to. Even Brittany, who was normally clueless about everything, had some idea that Santana was singing to her. Santana stepped down from the microphone and walked over to Brittany.

"Britt, could I speak to you outside for a sec?" Santana asked. Brittany nodded and the two girls left. When they left the room, Puck smirked.

"Ooh, they're about to get it on!" He called, gleefully. Everyone rolled their eyes. Santana led Brittany over to an empty corridor, and then turned to the blonde.

"Hi." Santana started, awkwardly.

"Hey." Brittany replied, confused.

"Can we talk?" Santana asked. Brittany rolled her eyes.

"But we never do that." Brittany remarked.

"Haha." Santana said. "So you know how I just performed that song for Glee club?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it made me do a lot of thinking. And what I've realized is why I'm such a bitch all the time. I'm a bitch because I'm angry. I'm angry because I have all of these feelings – feelings for you – that I'm afraid of dealing with, because I'm afraid of dealing with the consequences. Do you understand what I'm trying to say here?"

"No, not really."

"I want to be with you. But, I'm afraid of the talks, and the looks. I mean, you know what happened to Kurt at this school."

Brittany nodded in understanding.

"But, honey, if anybody were to ever make fun of you, you would either kick their ass or slash them with your vicious, vicious words.

Santana started to cry.

"Yeah, I know, but I'm so afraid of what everyone will say behind my back. Still, I have to accept that I love you. I love you, and I don't want to be with Sam, or Finn, or any of those other guys. I just want you. Please say you love me back. Please."

"Of course I love you." She said, and lightly kissed Santana. "But one thing."

"Anything." Santana murmured against Brittany's lips. Brittany pulled away slightly.

"I'm not going to be in a secret relationship." Brittany said. "I don't want secret rendezvous. I want dates at Breadstix, walking down the corridors holding hands. I want to be able to kiss my girlfriend whenever and wherever I want."

Santana nodded.

"I love you, Britt." Santana said, pulling Brittany into another kiss.

"Love you too, San." She said. The two of them walked back to Glee club, hand in hand, and when they entered the room. Everyone smiled as they walked in. Santana beamed at Finn, and nodded slightly in thanks. Finn smiled back. He was so happy for her. Over the past few weeks, he had gotten to know Santana really well. He learnt that there was a whole new side to her than what she let on; her 'bitchy' persona was all a front to cover her insecurities about her sexuality. Deep down, she was one of the nicest people Finn had met in McKinley - he knew that she would have his back no matter what. Mr. Schue walked to the front of the room.

"Well, congratulations Santana and Brittany. We're all so happy for the two of you. And just know, if anyone tries to give you a hard time, everyone in this room has your backs."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue." Santana said. She was too happy to respond with a sarcastic comment.

"Well, we still have about 30 minutes of Glee rehearsal left. Does anyone want to perform a love song before we all vote?" Mr. Schue asked. Nobody volunteered, so Finn decided to.

"Um… sure, I'll do it. Can it be an original song?" He asked.

"Sure. That would be awesome!" Mr. Schue exclaimed. Finn nodded and sat by the piano.

"Ok, so I wrote this song with my friend to sing a year ago so he could get some girl. Even though he didn't get the girl, it's still a pretty good song. It's called Falling Like the Stars."

Finn started playing the piano softly and sang along to the gentle accompaniment.

_I swear to God, when I come home_

_I'm gonna hold you so close_

_I swear to God, when I come home_

_I'll never let go_

_Like a river, I flow_

_To the ocean, I know_

_You pull me close, guiding me home_

_And I need you to know that we're fallin' so fast_

_We're fallin' like the stars, fallin' in love_

_And I'm not scared to say those words with you, I'm safe_

_We're fallin' like the stars, we're fallin' in love_

_I swear to God, I can see_

_Four kids and no sleep_

_We'll have one on each knee, you and me, hmm_

_And when they've grown up_

_You're still the girl in the club_

_When I held your hair up, 'cause you drank too much_

_And I need you to know that we're fallin' so fast_

_We're fallin' like the stars, fallin' in love_

_And I'm not scared to say those words with you, I'm safe_

_We're fallin' like the stars, we're fallin' in love_

_I swear to God, every day_

_He won't take you away_

_'Cause without you, babe, I lose my way_

_And I need you to know that we're fallin' so fast_

_We're fallin' like the stars, fallin' in love_

_And I'm not scared to say those words with you, I'm safe_

_We're fallin' like the stars, we're fallin' in love_

**To hear the song, click:**

**[James Arthur - Falling Like the Stars Acoustic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB_tfg7nw30) **

Everyone clapped wildly when Finn finished his song. He had absolutely nailed the song.

"Great job Finn, as always. OK, now everyone write down your favourite performance. Most votes win."

Everyone wrote down their favourite performance and Mr. Schue read everyone's vote. He rolled his eyes and turned to the Glee club.

"Seriously, guys? Almost all of you voted for yourself! Even someone who didn't even perform." He glanced at Brittany and sighed. Brittany looked at Mr. Schue confused. "Anyways, I have the winner. Congratulations, Finn. You and your date get a free Breadstix dinner for 2."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Um… I'm not dating anyone." He pointed out. Mr. Schue smirked.

"Well, then just ask someone, I guess. It's Valentine's day. I'm sure plenty of girls are looking for a date."

Finn sighed.

"Whatever." He said, and took the vouchers from Mr. Schue's hand. He then gave the vouchers to Santana and Brittany. "Happy Valentine's Day, you guys." He said. Both of them smiled at him.

"Finn, thank you so much." Santana said. Finn smiled and nodded. He could tell from her expression that it wasn't just for the vouchers.

* * *

"So when are you gonna tell your parents?" Finn asked Santana. They were sitting in Lima Bean two weeks later. Finn was probably - Brittany aside - Santana's best friend. Ever since her pregnancy, Quinn had pulled away from everyone, so Santana and Quinn's friendship started to deteriorate. Santana needed someone she could talk to - as much as Santana loved her, Brittany wasn't much help as she often had no clue about what was going on - and Finn was happy to hear her problems and help her out. They hung out pretty much every week, and saw a lot of each other, whether it be through Glee, or their lives as jocks/cheerleaders.

"Preferably, never." Santana said honestly. Finn laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, that would make for a very weird wedding. Your parents might see the other bride first and think that they're in the wrong place!"

"What if they reject me? Cast me out, like Quinn's parents did? I don't think I'd be able to handle that." She whispered, and tears filled her eyes. Finn put his hand on hers comfortingly.

"Then it's their loss. You can't hide who you are. Hell, you shouldn't have to! You should tell them, Santana." He said softly. She nodded.

Later that night, Santana and her parents sat down for dinner, and Santana prepared to tell them.

"Santana, you're all bones. Like Jesus on the cross. Eat." Her mom shoved a plate of food in front of her. Santana took a deep breath.

"Mami, papi, I have something that I want to talk to you about…"

"Okay, who cares, talk with your mouth full, hm?" Mrs. Lopez said, shoving a spoon at her daughter and walked to the sink to wash the pots. Santana got up and walked over to her mom.

"No, no, no. Come on. Come on. Sit with me, please?"

"Ah. Okay." She replied, joining Santana and Mr. Lopez at the table.

"Look… I have to tell you a secret. A secret that I've kept hidden for a long time, but…" She started to say, but was cut off.

"You need salsa...?" Mrs. Lopez asked. Santana shook her head.

"No, no, no. Escúchame. Please…"

"You're so special to me…" Santana started again but, once again was cut off.

"Santana, are you pregnant? Because I will beat you up with this chair." Mr. Lopez said, jokingly. Santana laughed and shook her head.

No, it's not... it's not that. It's just that I've watched you both my whole life and you've always

been so strong. Done exactly what you believe, and never cared about what anyone else thought of you...

"Tell me about your life, I know mine." Mr. Lopez said. Santana took a deep breath.

"Mami, Papi, I love girls the way that I'm supposed to feel about boys. It's just something that's

always been inside of me, and I really want to share it with you because I love you so much. I want you to know me. Who I really am. When I'm with Brittany… I finally understand what

people are talking about when they talk about love. I've tried so hard to push this feeling away, and keep it locked inside… but everyday just feels like a war. I walk around so mad at the world, but I'm really just fighting with myself. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm just too tired. I have to just be me." When she finished, neither one of her parents spoke. Santana started to get worried. What if they really didn't accept her?

"Say something, please." She begged.

"Everyone has secrets, Santana. They're called secrets for a reason. I want you to leave this house. I don't ever want to see you again." Mr. Lopez eventually said.

"Papi, you…" Santana tried to speak, but was interrupted by her mom.

"Go."

"You don't…" Santana tried to say, but her parents didn't let her get a single word in. Santana had started to cry.

"Now." Mrs. Lopez growled.

"I'm the same person I was a minute ago!" Santana cried. Both parents shook their heads.

"You made your choice. Now we have made ours." Mr. Lopez said.

"But why?"

"It's selfish of you to make us uncomfortable. The sin isn't in the thing, it's in the scandal, when people talk about it aloud." Mrs. Lopez said.

"So you're saying it would've been better if I would've kept this a secret?" Santana argued.

"GET OUT!" Mr. Lopez bellowed. Santana started to sob.

"Papi…"

"NOW!"

Santana left the room and walked up to her bedroom. She packed a small bag with enough clothes to last a few days. She then was forced out the door by her dad. Once she was kicked out, she started to sob uncontrollably, to the point that her legs gave out and she just sat there, on the front porch, crying her eyes out. Almost half an hour later, when she had finally calmed down enough that the tears had just turned to waterless sobs, she got in her car. It was almost midnight, so there weren't many places to go. Santana drove to the one place she knew would welcome her. She rang the doorbell, and after a short silence, a very disheveled looking man opened the door.

"Santana, why…" Finn started, then noticed the tear tracks on Santana's face. "What happened?"

She then collapsed into sobs once again. Finn held her tightly and comforted her, waiting patiently for her sobs to subside as she could barely speak through the crying. He led her into the living room and they sat on the couch. Carole was already sitting there. She had just come back from a graveyard shift at work. Finally, Santana calmed down enough to be able to talk.

"My parents… they… they kicked me out." She cried. Finn hugged her and he was almost as distraught as she was.

"Santana… I'm so sorry." He murmured.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked. Finn and Carole looked at her.

"Anything." Finn said.

"Can I stay here for a little bit? Just until I find a way for my parents to forgive me."

"Of course you can, sweetie. Stay as long as you need." Carole said and hugged the young Latina. Finn showed Santana to the spare room and they all went to bed for the night, but neither Finn, Carole or Santana slept at all that night.


	16. Chapter 16

A few weeks later, Santana's parents still hadn't forgiven her. They hadn't even made any effort to contact her, let alone welcome her back into their family. She was living at Finn's house, and was slowly recovering from the shock of being disowned by her whole family. Every part of her life was going great - her and Brittany were going strong, Cheerios had made it to Nationals, New Directions had made it to Regionals - but she was still unhappy. Her own family had cast her out for reasons that weren't even her fault.

"Hey, you okay?" Finn asked, tearing Santana away from her train of thought. They were in the living room and Santana was working on homework while Finn was quietly practising his song for the Glee tournament final. She turned and looked at him.

"Huh?" She asked, confused. Finn smiled faintly at her.

"You just looked kind of out of it." Finn pointed out. Santana nodded.

"Sorry, my mind's just been somewhere else lately." She said.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." Finn said. "Is there anything I can do?"

Santana shook her head. "No. You've already been so nice to me. There's literally nothing more anyone can do."

Finn smiled at her.

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know." He said. He then walked upstairs and went to bed. It was the Glee tournament final the next day and he wanted to get some rest. He felt _so_ bad for Santana. Two weeks ago, she was living with her family, and now, she had been completely disowned and cast out.

The next morning, Finn woke up pretty early. He walked downstairs and, unsurprisingly, Santana wasn't awake yet. She always slept in a lot later than he did. Finn ate some breakfast and did some last minute homework and, by the time he had finished, Santana was also downstairs. They drove to school together and walked into the auditorium for Glee. It was the day of the Tournament Final and Mr. Schue, Ms. Pillsbury and Coach Beiste were already there. Rachel, Kurt, Mercedes and Puck were also already there. The Glee club took their seats in the auditorium and Rachel and Finn waited backstage. Finally, everyone arrived and it was time to start. Finn turned to Rachel.

"Hey, Rachel, I just wanted to say, whoever wins, no hard feelings." He held out a hand. She refused to shake it, and just scowled at him.

'Fine, if that's how you want to play it,' Finn thought to himself. Mr. Schue stepped down from the judges' table and walked to the middle of the stage.

"Finn, Rachel, come on out!" He called. Finn and Rachel walked on stage. Finn clutched his guitar in his hand.

"Finn, Rachel, you're both wonderful." He started. Finn and Rachel just glared at each other and the tension in the room was palpable. Puck turned to Mike, grinning.

"Screw the Glee tournament, this is Clash of the Titans." He whispered. Mike laughed and nodded.

"I have a feeling that people are gonna be talking about this face-off for the rest of our lives." Kurt told Mercedes, gleefully.

"Rachel, Heads or Tails?" Mr. Schue asked, holding a coin and flipping it.

"HEADS!" She called. Mr. Schue caught the coin and looked at it.

"Ooh, tails. Sorry Rachel. Finn, would you like to go first or second?"

"Second. Rachel can go first." Finn said, quietly, and then walked off stage.

"Good luck, Rachel." Mr. Schue said, and then walked back to the judges' table, leaving just Rachel on stage. She took a deep breath. Rachel knew that as good of a singer as Finn was, she wanted the win more, so she would be the winner. After all, she had been singing the song since she was five.

_Don't tell me not to live_

_Just sit and putter_

_Life's candy and the sun's_

_A ball of butter_

_Don't bring around a cloud_

_To rain on my parade_

_Don't tell me not to fly_

_I've simply got to_

_If someone takes a spill_

_It's me and not you_

_Who told you you're allowed_

_To rain on my parade_

_I'll march my band out_

_I'll beat my drum_

_And if I'm fanned out_

_Your turn at bat, sir_

_At least I didn't fake it_

_Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it_

_But whether I'm the rose_

_Of sheer perfection_

_Or freckle on the nose_

_Of life's complexion_

_The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye_

_I gotta fly once_

_I gotta try once_

_Only can die once, right, sir?_

_Ooh, life is juicy_

_Juicy, and you see_

_I gotta have my bite, sir_

_Get ready for me, love_

_'Cause I'm a commer_

_I simply gotta march_

_My heart's a drummer_

_Don't bring around a cloud_

_To rain on my parade_

_I'm gonna live and live now_

_Get what I want, I know how_

_One roll for the whole show bang_

_One throw, that bell will go clang_

_Eye on the target and wham_

_One shot, one gun shot, and bam_

_Hey, Mister Arnstein_

_Here I am_

_I'll march my band out_

_I will beat my drum_

_And if I'm fanned out_

_Your turn at bat, sir_

_At least I didn't fake it_

_Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it_

_Get ready for me, love_

_'Cause I'm a commer_

_I simply gotta march_

_My heart's a drummer_

_Nobody, no, nobody_

_Is gonna rain on my parade_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Glee - Don't Rain on my Parade](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ULgXjo4Yo)

At the end of the song, everyone clapped politely as Rachel walked off stage. Although she hit every note perfectly, the song was lacking personality: it was a little bit bland. Mr. Schue, Coach Beiste and Ms. Pillsbury took some notes before looking up.

"Finn! Your turn!" Mr. Schue called. Finn walked on stage, and then turned to the backing band.

"You guys can go if you want. I don't need a band." He said. They all nodded and left. The adults looked at him, confused.

"You don't want an accompaniment?" Ms. Pillsbury asked. Finn shook his head.

"No thanks. I play my own accompaniment." He said, holding up his acoustic guitar. He then put the strap around his neck and prepared to play. He started strumming his guitar for a few bars, before starting to sing.

_Oo-ooo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_We're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_Oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

_I've made a lot of mistakes in my past_

_But I refuse to live there, nah_

_I saw a lot of hearts break in the past_

_But I refuse to go there, agh_

_It hurts too much, I'm looking for a crutch_

_I'm looking for just any girl, just for a touch_

_I let myself go, I let my angst out_

_And when I let myself down I just swag it out_

_Uh, uh, baby girl I'd like to dance_

_Uh! But I'm just looking for a brief romance_

_What's wrong with that? I´m young, forgive me_

_I live fast, die a legend, Whitney_

_Oh, oh we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_Uh, yeah_

_And if I die, would you try, would you walk on by_

_I bet the latter, sometimes it feels like nothing really matters_

_It's okay though, I drive one hundred on the straight roads_

_Back to hell again, it feels like something heaven sent_

_Something not important, and it somehow got a boy_

_Said it was atomic, and I just realised what it all meant_

_Amen, and you can bring the chorus in._

_Amen, oo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_Coz we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young_

_Oh we're young, we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us, forgive us, forgive us, forgive us_

_Oh no, oh no, oh, no_

_Oh we're young, oh we're young._

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[James Arthur - Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5paeKFYjAYc) **

At the end of the song, the whole Glee club exploded. Finn had basically rewritten what was previously a pathetic dance-club song. His performance was drenched in emotion. All the anger, sorrow and anger he had ever felt was channelled into his playing. He even got a standing ovation from the three judges - Rachel didn't get one. Then, Rachel was called back on stage for the comments, and judges' deliberation. Ms. Pillbury was the first to give her feedback.

"Well done, guys! You both did an absolutely excellent job! Finn, I don't know why you chose that song, but I'm sure that those words hit a chord with absolutely everyone. Your song-writing is so clever, it made me go into my own world, and I could practically feel every emotion pouring out of you. And when you sang, you made me believe every word you were singing. It was like we were right there with you. And Rachel, you are meant for the stars. I can't imagine you not being a lead on a Broadway show in the future. Your voice is so powerful and strong for someone as small and petite as yourself. But, in my opinion, what made you different from Finn is that you sounded like you didn't truly believe what you were singing about. It was a great performance, don't get me wrong, but I feel like it was lacking a bit of emotion. Which is why my vote goes to Finn."

Finn smiled. He needed two votes to win and he already had one. Mr. Schue was the next to give his feedback.

"Well, I understand what Ms. Pillsbury is saying, but I don't agree with her logic. At the end of the day, you both are just high school students. You shouldn't have to have so much pain and anger in your music. I know Finn went through a very rough childhood, and I know that his past experiences contributed towards the emotion in his music, but that shouldn't disadvantage Rachel. Rachel's song was a lot more complicated than Finn's - I mean, Finn, you basically sang the same verse over and over again - and I feel that Rachel is a technically better singer, which is why she has my vote."

Rachel looked up in surprise. After Finn's epic performance, she had thought that it would be a unanimous decision towards him. But it wasn't. They were tied at 1 to 1, with just Coach Beiste left to give her vote. The whole Glee club were at the edge of their seats.

"Ok, um… Hudson, I literally just wrote one word about your performance: Wow! It's hard to believe that the voice and the songwriting came from a 17 year old. That was a brilliant song, absolutely brilliant. And Berry, that performance was absolutely out of this world! It really was. Both of you are really something special. You have bright futures ahead! But I have to choose one performance, and this is a really hard choice… I think I'm going to go with Hudson."

Finn couldn't believe it. He had won. He was officially the 'best singer in the Glee club'. He would possibly be performing in Regionals and Nationals. Rachel stormed out of the room in a huff.

"You know, the more times she does that, the less impact it has." Artie commented. Puck and Santana walked up to Finn.

"Dude! You beat Berry!" Puck exclaimed, holding out his hand for a high five. Finn laughed and accepted the high five from Puck and the hug from Santana. Mr. Schue then came up to them.

"Finn, congratulations! You did a great job. You'll be great for Regionals and Nationals." Mr. Schue said. Finn then noticed Rachel walk back into the room, traces of tears still on her face. Finn sighed. He knew what he had to do. He looked at Mr. Schue again.

"Um… Mr. Schue?" He said. Mr. Schue turned to him.

"Yeah, what's up, Finn?"

"Look, you and I both know that if we want to take Nationals, we need Rachel to be performing at her highest standard. And that isn't going to happen if she doesn't get to solo. She's just going to get pissed, and it's gonna affect all of us. So do you want to give her the solos? And besides, the songs I play aren't really show choir songs, are they?"

Mr. Schue thought for a moment and then smiled.

"I have an idea." He said, and then turned to the New Directions who were all huddled on the stage, chatting.

"Guys, listen up! I changed my mind about Finn soloing in Regionals and Nationals." He announced. Everyone looked at him, confused.

"Why? Hudson's clearly the best singer!" Puck shouted. Mr. Schue shrugged.

"I think that we would do better if Finn and Rachel did a duet. They have very contrasting styles and I feel that together, they would do a great job. So I'm leaving it up to the two of you to find a duet. Is that OK?"

Rachel and Finn looked at each other, and then at Mr. Schue and nodded.

"Sure. We got this, Mr. Schue." Finn said. He was going to wind up regretting saying those words. He just didn't know it yet.


	17. Chapter 17

"Finn! Come on! Focus! We need to make this perfect!" Rachel exclaimed. Finn sighed. They were in Rachel's living room and had been working on the Regionals duet for hours. Finn had started to get pins and needles, so started to walk around to stretch his legs. He looked at the various baby pictures of Rachel that were hung on the wall or placed on the mantle.

"Jesus christ, how old are you in this picture?!" He asked, laughing. In the picture, Rachel couldn't have been older than 5, but was holding a microphone and a singing competition trophy. Rachel walked over and looked at the photo he was examining. She giggled.

"3 and a half. It was my first singing competition." She explained. Finn nodded and suddenly, something eerie caught his eye. There was an extreme difference to what Rachel looked like in a 2 month period. Finn couldn't quite place the difference though. Finally, it hit him. He couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed the difference earlier.

"Um… Rachel?" He said, reluctantly. She turned to him and smiled.

"What's up?" She asked. Finn took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Look, I know I might be very out of line with this, and you don't have to answer me if you don't want to, but did something happen to you between January two years ago and March two years ago? Like anorexia or something?"

Her face paled and she ran over to where he was standing.

"How did you…"

"Um… these two pictures. They're like 2 months apart, but you've lost about 25 pounds in between and your face is practically yellow. Both of those are signs of anorexia."

She closed her eyes. Her secret had been discovered. The real reason she transferred to Lima freshman year. She started to shake. Finn noticed this and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay. Trust me, I've had my own mental health issues in the past - anxiety, PTSD, the whole nine. And from my experience, it helped to talk about it."

She took a deep breath.

"Okay. Here it is. You can't tell anyone this though." She said. Finn nodded.

"Um… so I was born in New York, and lived there for the first 14 years of my life. Ever since I was young, there's been so much pressure on me to be a star. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE singing, and I want to be on Broadway in the future, but sometimes, the pressure just gets too much. I was able to survive the pressure until the final year of middle school. I had just started to consider singing and Broadway as an actual career, and I was Broadway crazy. I tried out for my school's high school play, while I was in my last year of middle school. I was a lot better than any of the other candidates, but I didn't get the role. I was curious as to why, and when I confronted the director, he said that I didn't have the 'right look' for the play. I snapped. All the pressure got to me. I started thinking: what if the Broadway directors don't like the way I look? I started having mental breakdowns, anxiety attacks, and depression as well. Every sad moment of my life started coming back to me. The fact that my mom abandoned me, the size of my nose, my weight."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, in none of these photos are you overweight. You look really underweight in this one though." Finn commented, pointing to one of the pictures. Rachel nodded.

"Yeah, so I started to starve myself. I lost a LOT of weight. Like a dangerous amount. Because of this, I started to have dizzy spells. I eventually was admitted to the hospital after passing out during a performance. The doctor said that my BMI was 12 - which is VERY underweight. My dads made me see a mental health specialist, and I finally went back to a normal weight. However, my problems weren't over there. Now that I was a normal weight, I wasn't self conscious about it anymore. But I started to be self-conscious about something else: my nose. I thought that my nose was huge, and many of the people in my school agreed with me, even if it was in the form of meaningless jokes. I hated the way I looked, and I approached my fathers and asked if I could get a nose job. They knew that there was something seriously wrong, and they asked their work for a transfer, so that we could get away from the people in New York. We moved to Lima, and I had to speak to another mental health specialist. This person didn't help very much. But then I joined Glee, and I learnt what it meant to be happy. The people in Glee helped pull me out of my depression. It isn't really gone though. I've just locked it away temporarily, and I'm scared it's gonna come back again." She whispered the last sentence with tears in her eyes. Finn hugged her tightly. He knew only too well how she felt.

"Well, for what it's worth, just know that I know exactly how you feel, and that I'm here for you if you ever need me."

She smiled and wiped her tears away.

"Thanks, Finn. You're a really great guy." She said. Finn chuckled, mirthlessly.

"Trust me, I'm not." He said, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?! Santana is literally living in your house right now because her parents kicked her out. Not many people would do that."

Finn shrugged.

"I mean I know what it feels like to be homeless. I wasn't about to let that happen to my best friend in Lima. And by the way, with all the good that I do, there's plenty of bad to come with it."

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah. Like what?" She challenged him. Finn smirked.

"Um… I used to pickpocket and steal when I was homeless. Not credit cards and stuff, just money. It wasn't safe for me to go to a homeless shelter - I probably would have been stabbed if I had gone because homeless shelters are very unsafe - so I needed money for food. Before I could busk and sing with my guitar, I would steal and beg to earn money for food."

Rachel smiled and rolled her eyes.

"That's fine! I mean you needed to if you wanted to eat."

"Yeah, I mean I got smarter as I got older. I learnt to target certain places at different times. Like always, during a festival or big event, I would stand outside and people would be generous and give me money. But still, when I was young, I probably stole close to 50 thousand dollars in 4 years. It's a LOT of money."

She nodded.

"I don't know, Finn." She sighed. "You're a great guy."

"Right back at you." Finn replied. Rachel raised an eyebrow and Finn realised what he had said.

"Girl, I mean." He said, correcting his mistake. "You're a great girl."

She laughed at his embarrassment. They spent the next couple of hours working on their song for Regionals, and only stopped when Rachel heard her dads walk in. Their eyebrows raised when they saw Finn.

"And who might this be?" Hiram asked, protectively. He was always very uncomfortable with Rachel having boys over. Leroy, his husband, was a bit more relaxed. Finn stood up and shook their hands.

"Um… Mr. Berrys, I'm Finn Hudon. It's really nice to meet you. Rachel has told me a lot about you both."

"Are you a boyfriend?" Hiram asked, bluntly. Leroy and Rachel's expressions dropped and Finn laughed.

"HIRAM!" Leroy exclaimed.

"Daddy!" Rachel cried. Finn wasn't offended or anything though.

"No, I'm just a friend. We were working on our duet for Glee club Regionals." Finn said. Hiram relaxed a little.

"Finn's the Glee club's male lead. He won the Glee tournament earlier today. He's an incredible singer." Rachel added.

"You're exaggerating, Rachel." Finn laughed. "And the only reason I won today is that two of the judges knew nothing about music. You were a much better singer than me - I literally just sang the same verse over and over again."

"Well, Finn, it's a pleasure to meet you. Would you like to stay for dinner?" Leroy asked, kindly.

"Um, I'm really sorry. I'd love to, but I have to be up at 4 in the morning tomorrow for Football practise. We have conference finals next week, and the Coach and I need to discuss plays for the game, and then we also have morning practise afterwards."

Hiram raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You also play football? And you're the Glee male lead?" Hiram asked, surprised. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I'm the captain for Football." He said, proudly. Leroy smiled at him.

"That's amazing! It's always nice to see 'jocks' with more than one interest." He commented. Finn laughed.

"Thanks, I guess." He said. "I've really got to go now. It was really nice meeting you both. See you at school tomorrow, Rach." He called to Rachel, who was still sitting in the living room.

"Yeah, you too, Finn." Leroy said.

"See you at school, tomorrow!" Rachel shouted. Finn waved and left the house. As soon as he left, Leroy shut the door.

"He actually seems really nice." Hiram commented. Leroy laughed and then looked at Rachel. He noticed her facial expression - it was the same as the one he wore when he first met his husband.

"Clearly you're not the only one who thinks so." Leroy replied, pointing at Rachel. Rachel raised her eyebrow.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Oh, come on! You clearly like him!" Hiram exclaimed. Rachel blushed furiously.

"That's not true! Finn's my friend!" She cried, indignantly but unconvincingly. Her dads laughed.

"For what it's worth, pumpkin, Finn seems like a really nice guy. And if he's the male lead for Glee, you two are bound to have some similar interests. And anyways, anyone would be better than your last boyfriend. What was his name? Guck? Pluck?"

"Puck! And yeah, dating Puck was a big mistake! I admit that now, please stop bringing it up!" Rachel cried. "But, say for instance that I did like Finn, what do you think I should do, because I know he doesn't see me that way."

Leroy smiled at his daughter. She had grown up so much since they had moved to Lima.

"Well, just be yourself. If Finn doesn't want to date the real you, that's his problem."

Meanwhile, Finn had arrived home and walked inside. Carole was working the graveyard shift, and Santana had fallen fast asleep on the living room sofa. He quickly covered her with a blanket and then walked upstairs. He had learnt so much about Rachel, and everything started to make sense. Her Broadway obsession, her over-dramatic pesonality. In a way, she was very similar to Santana. Both girls used personalities to cover up and hide their deep insecurities. Finn knew something though: he wanted to get to know Rachel better. She was really nice to him while they were at her house, she had a pretty troubled past - just like him. And, also, damn she was attractive. Finn fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	18. Chapter 18

The next week went by in a blur. Finn, Puck, Mike and Sam had to temporarily stop going to Glee, as Coach Beiste was demanding extra practises, gym sessions, and in Finn's case - tactics meetings. The big game was on Friday and everyone was hyped. The pressure was mounting on Finn to deliver, and he was getting nervous. Before he knew it, they were sitting in the locker room before the game. Coach Beiste walked into the locker room, and over to the huddle of guys. Things were still frosty between the Glee club football players and the rest of the team, so Finn wanted to win the game to try and mend the damage between the two factions. He knew that winning Conference and making it to State would really help. After all, it had been less than 2 months since some of the guys had attacked Santana and Brittany, and they hadn't even been punished for it.

"Today, Gentlemen…" Coach Beiste started. "I am honored to coach you. And I'm more honored to take you onto the field of battle. There is another honor to be bestowed upon you. And that answer comes with the question… WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!" The guys chanted.

"That's right and I need you to remember that all throughout this game, we will conquer what has not been conquered. Defeat will not be in our creed. We must believe what others have doubted. We have trained long and hard for this. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!" The guys shouted again. Coach Beiste smiled to herself. She had rehearsed the speech in front of the mirror that morning, and she never had expected to give the speech whilst coaching McKinley.

"We will acknowledge the fact that our opponents do not expect us to win, but we will never surrender. Weakness will not be in our hearts. You will look to our comrades, those you have trained with, and you will draw strength from them. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"We will gladly go out into the field of battle and we will move, groove and do everything we can do, and we will reach our field of battle by any means at our disposal. And when we get there, we will arrive violently. We will rip the heart from the enemy and leave it bleeding on the ground, because they cannot stop us. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"On either side, you have comrades. Comrades that have been with you through thick and thin. Through sacrifice, through blood, through sweat, through tears. Never will we let them fail. Never will we let them down. And we will never leave a man behind. Our opponents do not know our hearts. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"No one will deny us. No one will defy us. And no one will tell us who and what we are and can be. Belief will change our world. It has moved continents, countries, and put a man on the moon, and it will carry us through this battle. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"Defeat, retreat. Those are not in our instructions manual. I don't understand those definitions. I don't understand when things go wrong. I do not understand mistakes. But I do understand this… I understand victory and I understand never surrendering. No matter how bad things go, our hearts and our minds will carry our bodies when our limbs are too weak. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"Today will be that day. Not tomorrow, not next week, but right now, right here, in our house, and in our home. WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"History will remember us, and I will not have to worry about it being kind. We will define ourselves, we will write our own praises, and no one will tell us what we can and cannot be. We will never go home, not without giving everything we've got. COZ WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"WHO ARE WE?"

"CHAMPIONS!"

"TITANS ON THREE, ONE… TWO… THREE!"

"TITANS!" The whole team shouted.

"LET'S DO THIS!" She shouted and led the team onto the field. They were playing against Carmel High and were playing on the McKinley field. The crowd started roaring when the football team walked onto the field. Finn could see Brittany and Santana at the sidelines with the other Cheerios and the rest of the Glee club sitting in the bleachers. Finn took a deep breath and focussed on the game. He eyed the other team. They had a couple of behemoths among them - guys who probably weighed close to 300 pounds. He ignored them and walked over to the referee, who was gesturing to him. They needed to do the coin toss. The captain of the other team joined him as well.

"OK, Carmel. Heads or Tails?" The ref asked and threw a coin in the air.

"Tails!" The Carmel captain called. The ref caught the coin and placed it flat on his hand and looked at it.

"It's tails. Carmel, you're starting." The ref said. Finn and the other captain nodded and they walked back to their respective teams, ready for the game to begin…

2 and a half hours later, the McKinley High Titans were crowned Western Ohio Conference Champions for the first time in their history. Finn was presented with both the Conference Championship trophy, and also the MVP award. He had made 2 touchdown passes and had run a touchdown himself. Finn knew that there were probably college scouts in the bleachers so he was thankful that he played well. After all, a football scholarship was probably his only way of going to college. As Finn raised the trophy, he could see how happy his teammates were and he knew that there would be peace between the Glee club and Football team, at least for the next little while. The guys made their way to the locker room to continue the celebrations, and when they arrived, all hell broke loose…

They all shouted at the top of their lungs, passing around the trophy and taking pictures with it. Finn was mobbed by the rest of the team; he was practically worshipped by the rest of the team. Finn was the reason that they had made it as far as Conference - he was quite possibly the best quarterback McKinley ever had, and he was the only one who really stood a chance of playing pro-ball. Surprisingly, Finn didn't want to play pro-ball though. He wanted to use the potential football scholarship to get a college degree, with which he was going to make it to law school and become a successful lawyer. Football was too unpredictable - one major injury and his career would be over - and Finn was only too familiar with a sudden stop in money income from his time on the streets. At least with a college degree, and hopefully a degree from a respectable law school, he could earn a steady flow of money in the future, and build a life for himself.

One of the football players - Rakeem Thomas - was throwing a party for all of the football players and Cheerios, so Finn quickly got changed into his casual clothing, and then he drove to the party. When he arrived, around 15 footballers and 10 Cheerios had arrived; Santana, Brittany, Puck, Mike and Sam were among them. Finn grabbed himself a water from the cooler - despite the fact that there was plenty of alcohol and everyone was pretty drunk, Finn never drank. Chances were that he would end up having to drive at least one person's drunk ass home at the end of the night. He was right.

By about halfway through the night, at around 11 pm, Finn had been hit on by almost every cheerleader, and even one drunk football player. After a while, Karofsky stumbled over to him, clearly wasted. He had reached a level of drunkenness that made him actually kind.

"Hey, Hudson. Great game today. You deserved MVP." He said, gruffly.

"Thanks." Finn replied quietly. He still hadn't forgiven Karofsky for everything that happened with him, Santana and Brittany. Karofsky sensed the coldness in Finn's tone.

"Look, Hudson. I'm sorry about what happened with Lopez and Pierce. The football players and I made a huge mistake."

"Look, Karofsky. Answer me this, would you be feeling this way if we lost the game? And If I had played badly? You almost killed 3 people. Just know, if you ever try anything like that again, I swear to god I will not stop until I've hunted you down. You should be in jail, man. You're lucky that nobody pressed charges. Now get out of my way." Finn growled, and shoved past Karofsky. Karofsky sighed. He was SO remorseful about what he did, but he didn't know how to show it. Well, he had an idea. It could ruin his high school social image though.

Shortly after Finn had walked away from Karofsky, Santana slowly stumbled towards Finn. She didn't drink very much, but she was a lightweight, and two drinks were enough to get her hammered. His expression changed immediately. It was amazing how much his expression could soften in a split second when looking at his friend. Santana was more than his friend though. She was like his sister. She had been living in their house for over a month and there wasn't really much of a chance of her going back any time soon. Her parents hadn't even tried to speak to her yet.

"Hey, Finn." She slurred, almost falling over when she made it to him. Finn helped hold her steady.

"Hey, San. You okay?" He asked, laughing. She didn't laugh though. Her face was filled with sadness.

"Why don't my parents want me?" She mumbled quietly. "Is there something wrong with me? Am I not good enough for them?"

Finn looked at her, surprised.

"NO! Don't you dare think that, Santana! You're an amazing person. Your parents just need a bit of time to adjust."

"They've had a month, Finn! 30 days! And they haven't tried to talk to me, let alone let me back in the family. What did I do wrong?"

"NOTHING! You did NOTHING wrong! Look, come on. You're wasted. I'm driving you home." He said and led Santana out the door. Halfway through the short drive home, Santana had fallen asleep in the back seat of Finn's car. She was completely conked out and when they arrived at Finn's house, he tried to wake her up but she wouldn't wake up. Finn sighed and reluctantly carried her into the house and to her room. Carole was already asleep as it was almost 2 in the morning, and the house was silent. Finn tried to make as little noise as possible as he carried Santana up the stairs. She was a cheerleader so she barely weighed anything, it was practically like carrying a bunch of grapes. He carefully laid her down on her bed and tucked her friend. He then turned off the light and tiptoed towards the door. However, before he made it out, he heard Santana's voice.

"Finn?" She asked. Finn turned around. He originally thought she was sleep-talking, but he then noticed that her eyes were open.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." She said, simply. Finn smiled at her.

"Good night, San. And I can't wait for tomorrow. You're gonna be sooooo hungover and I'm gonna be such a jerk about it!" He smirked. Santana groaned and Finn laughed. He then left the room and walked down the corridor into his own room. He thought about his conversation with Karofsky from earlier. The guy seemed genuinely apologetic. Could it be that the encounter had affected Karofsky more than he let on? Finn closed his eyes, and sleep came quickly.


	19. Chapter 19

Finn was treated like a god in school over the next few weeks. As the MVP and the star Quarterback of McKinley's first ever Western Ohio Conference Championship winning team, even the teachers gave him a bit of preferential treatment. Every girl in the school wanted to be with him, and every guy wanted to be him. Finn didn't let it get to his head though. He kept working hard and he politely declined all of the girls who slipped their number in his locker. However, Finn was getting slightly annoyed. One would have thought that Finn had split the atom or discovered gravity or something; not just throw a football. He walked into Glee rehearsal on Friday afternoon. They had Regionals the next day and everyone was nervous. They didn't do much during Glee rehearsal - nobody wanted to strain their voice or injure themself dancing - so they mainly spent the time talking. That night, nobody slept very much due to nerves, and before they knew it, it was morning and they were climbing onto the bus, ready to set off for Toledo for Regionals. Finn was one of the last on the bus, and he sat down close to the back of the bus, immediately putting earphones in and tuning out. Suddenly, someone came and sat next to him. It was Quinn.

"Hey Finn!" She said, cheerfully. He smiled at her.

"Hey, how are you? I feel like I haven't spoken to you in ages." Finn commented. Quinn laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, I know, right?! Yeah, I'm good. Just very uncomfortable though. The baby should be coming in 4 weeks time so…"

"Oh that's right, your due date was during March Break, wasn't it?" He exclaimed. She nodded.

"Well, I'm really happy for you. And Puck. Did you end up deciding what you are doing to do with the baby? Like keeping it, adoption, etc."

"Yeah. I thought about what you, Puck and pretty much everyone told me and I'm going to give the baby up for adoption. I registered with an agency and a couple in Connecticut are coming into Lima in two weeks time to receive the baby and sign the final forms."

"Are you happy with the decision?" He asked, honestly. She nodded.

"Yeah, I mean it's like you said, I want the best life possible for her."

Finn nodded. "That's great, Quinn. I'm really happy for you. So I take it a quiet March break?"

"Yup. Furthest I'm gonna go is from the sofa to the fridge. What about you, any fun plans for March break?"

"Yeah, actually. My best friend's family is taking me to South Africa with them. My friend's dad works for National Geographic and his job is to take pictures of all of the phenomena in the savannah. Usually, he travels alone, but because it's March break, he's taking his family and I along with him. It should be fun."

"That sounds awesome!" She exclaimed. "Who are you going with? Is it with Santana or Puck or someone we know?"

Finn laughed.

"No. It's with my best friend from Canada." He said. She looked at him surprised.

"You're still close to your friends in Canada?" She asked. She moved to Lima from Michigan before Freshman year, and she wasn't in touch with any of her old friends.

"Just my 3 closest friends. They're like brothers to me, so we never really lose touch. And after they heard about you… you know?" He said, gesturing towards Quinn's pregnancy stomach. She laughed.

"You mean how I lied to you for four months about the baby?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, so when they heard about that, they literally travelled to Lima for a week during Christmas break to see me. And they managed to pull me out of my slump, and they convinced me to rejoin Glee. I owe them so much for that."

"Wow, they seem like nice people." Quinn commented. Finn smiled faintly.

"The best." He replied. Quinn put on a face of mock-hurt.

"Ouch! That's insulting! What about all of us in Glee. Do you like them more than us?" She exclaimed. Finn laughed and shrugged.

"Which excuse do you want? The I've known them longer excuse; the I have more in common with them excuse; or something else?"

She giggled.

"I mean as long as you're happy…" Quinn said. Finn nodded. Suddenly, the bus parked. They had arrived at Toledo High - the hosts of the competition. The show choirs that New Directions were competing against were Columbus High's The Unitards and Toledo High's Throat Explosion. Thankfully, they wouldn't be competing against Carmel High's show choir - Vocal Adrenaline. Vocal Adrenaline had established a dynasty in the show-choir business: they had won the National Show Choir Championship 5 years in a row. McKinley wanted to dethrone them though.

"We're here! Everyone off the bus!" Mr. Schue called. The New Directions cheered and they all clambered off the bus. Rachel was practically vibrating with energy, and even Sam, the least enthusiastic person in the Glee club, was excited. Finn could hear Rachel chattering in his ear about their duet, but he wasn't really listening to her. His logic is that any final changes that Rachel wanted to make would only confuse him and ruin their performance. Once Mr. Schuester had signed them in, they were informed that they were performing last. They were immediately led by a member of personnel to the greenroom to prepare. Everyone changed quickly in the dressing room and then gathered in the green room. They listened to The Unitards and Throat Explosions' performances. The Unitards went first.

_Is this the real life?_

_Is this just fantasy?_

_Caught in a landslide_

_No escape from reality_

_Open your eyes_

_Look up to the skies and see_

_I'm just a poor boy_

_I need no sympathy_

_Because I'm easy come, easy go_

_Little high, little low_

_Any way the wind blows_

_Doesn't really matter to me, to me_

_Mama_

_Just killed a man_

_Put a gun against his head_

_Pulled my trigger, now he's dead_

_Mama_

_Life had just begun_

_But now I've gone_

_And thrown it all away_

_Mama, ooh_

_Didn't mean to make you cry_

_If I'm not back again this time tomorrow_

_Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters_

_..._

_Too late_

_My time has come_

_Sends shivers down my spine_

_Body's aching all the time_

_Goodbye, everybody_

_I've got to go_

_Gotta leave you all behind_

_And face the truth_

_Mama, ooh_

_(Any way the wind blows)_

_I don't want to die_

_I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all_

_...(BEST GUITAR SOLO EVER)_

_I see a little silhouette-o of a man_

_Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?_

_Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening me_

_Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Figaro_

_Magnifico_

_I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me_

_He's just a poor boy from a poor family_

_Spare him his life from this monstrosity_

_Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?_

_Bismillah! No, we will not let you go!_

_(Let him go!)_

_Bismillah! We will not let you go!_

_(Let him go!)_

_Bismillah! We will not let you go!_

_(Let me go!)_

_Will not let you go!_

_(Let me go!)_

_(Never never never never let me go!)_

_Will not let you go!_

_No, no, no, no, no, no, no_

_Oh mama mia, mama mia_

_Mama mia, let me go_

_Beelzebub has a devil put aside_

_For me, for me, for me_

_..._

_So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?_

_So you think you can love me and leave me to die?_

_Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby_

_Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here_

_..._

_Ohh_

_..._

_Nothing really matters, anyone can see_

_Nothing really matters_

_Nothing really matters to me_

_..._

_Any way the wind blows_

The Unitards's version of the classic Queen song was breathtaking, and they could only assume that their dancing was too. After all, The Unitards rehearsed for at least 5 hours every day. Morale in the green room was instantly shattered, and it only got worse. Throat Explosion were the next to perform. They deliberately pandered to two of the judges - Josh Groban and Olivia Newton-John - by singing a mashup of Magic and You Raise Me Up. The New Directions listened to the performance through the speaker in the green room. They were seriously annoyed at this point.

"Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban! Are you kidding me?!" Puck yelled at nobody in particular. "Somebody clearly tipped them off about the judges!"

Rachel tried to help build some confidence into the depressed group.

"Guys, we can't get distracted by what the other teams are doing." She exclaimed. Finn nodded and stood up.

"Yeah, we just gotta keep our heads in the game and focus." He added.

"Even though we know we can't win?" Santana remarked.

"Yes," Mr. Schue said, walking through the greenroom door. He turned off the stereo. "If this is only about winning for you guys then I owe you all an apology, because I've failed you. And we should all just go home, because it means we've already lost. Besides, we have got something that the other groups don't…"

Everyone looked at him, confused.

"What?" Artie asked.

"We have an equal male and female lead! Look at Vocal Adrenaline for example. J.J Redick makes the lead vocals completely male dominant. And in Throat Explosion, Harmony makes the vocals female dominant. With Rachel and Finn, we have balance in both sides."

Everyone nodded and started to look a bit happier.

"Right? Come on! Now let's get out there. We got two minutes. Throat Explosion's almost finished. Bring it in. Come on. Come on. Let's go, go, go, go, go, and…"

Everyone put their hands in the middle.

"NEW DIRECTIONS!" Everyone chanted and then took their places backstage. Finn and Rachel could hear the audience clapping, so they knew that Throat Explosion had just finished. Suddenly, two personnel members tapped their shoulders so they knew it was time to perform. Finn turned to Rachel.

"We got this." He said. She nodded nervously.

"Yeah we do," She replied and the two of them walked on stage together. The audience clapped politely as they stepped into the spotlight. For their duet, they had planned to sit on stools for it, and two stools were already placed on stage. Finn and Rachel both sat down, and when the music started, the audience immediately quietened.

_Finn:_

_When the rain is blowing in your face_

_And the whole world is on your case_

_I could offer you a warm embrace_

_To make you feel my love_

_Rachel:_

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear_

_And there is no one there to dry your tears_

_I could hold you for a million years_

_To make you feel my love_

_Finn:_

_I know you haven't made your mind up yet_

_Both:_

_But I would never do you wrong_

_Rachel:_

_I've known it from the moment that we met_

_No doubt in my mind where you belong_

The soft beat of the song quickened, and Rachel and Finn both stood up. The audience were loving the song. Finn and Rachel's voices blended perfectly, and neither one was overpowering the other. Mr. Schue smiled to himself. Finn's arrival had turned the Glee club on its head, in a good way

_Finn:_

_I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue_

_Rachel_

_I'd go crawling down the avenue_

_Finn:_

_No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_To make you feel my love_

_Both:_

_The storms are raging on the rolling sea_

_And on the highway of regret_

_The winds of change are blowing wild and free_

_You ain't seen nothing like me yet_

_Finn:_

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true_

_Rachel:_

_Nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Finn:_

_Go to the ends of the Earth for you_

_Rachel:_

_To make you feel my love_

_Both:_

_To make you feel my love_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[X Factor 2012 - Make You Feel My Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KPwN8C2LRM) **

The audience erupted at the end of the song. Finn was almost deafened by the cheering, whooping and whistling. They didn't have time to relish in the applause though. They immediately moved the stools backstage, and the rest of the New Directions joined them on stage.

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_She loves to laugh_

_She loves to sing_

_She does everything_

_She loves to move_

_She loves to grove_

_She loves the lovin' things_

_It won't be long, yeah till you're alone_

_When you love, oh, he hasn't come home_

_Cause he's lovin', he's touchin',_

_He's squeezin' another_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_She said, Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_I was alone_

_I never knew_

_What good love could do_

_Ooh, then we touched_

_Then we sang_

_About the lovin' things_

_Cause he's lovin', he's touchin',_

_He's squeezin' another_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_She said, Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Na na na na na na_

_Na na na na na_

_Na na na na na na_

_Na na na na na_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Just a small town girl_

_livin' in a lonely world_

_She took the midnight train goin' anywhere_

_Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit_

_He took the midnight train goin' anywhere_

_A singer in a smoky room_

_The smell of wine and cheap perfume_

_For a smile they can share the night_

_It goes on and on and on and on_

_Strangers waiting_

_Up and down the boulevard_

_Their shadows searching in the nights_

_Streetlights, people_

_Living just to find emotion_

_Hiding somewhere in the nights_

_Don't stop believin_

_Hold on to that feelin'_

_Streetlight, people_

_(repeat)_

_Don't stop!_

**To hear the actual songs, click:**

[Glee - Journey Medley Pt. 1](youtube.com/watch?v=6QEeo8pNaJI) & [Glee - Journey Medley Pt. 2](youtube.com/watch?v=auqz1kX-oWE)

The New Directions had decided on a Journey Medley for their group number. It showcased both vocals and choreography. Although Finn and Rachel were the lead singers, Brittany, Santana, Mike and Matt were the lead dancers. The four of them were athletes, so they were in great physical shape, and they were agile and flexible as well. After they were showered with applause, the New Directions dismounted the stage and walked back into the greenroom. They immediately went crazy. Finn and Rachel were congratulated by everyone, and Santana gave him a crushing hug. She might have been small, but Finn still felt like he had cracked a rib or two.

"WE DID IT!" Mercedes shouted. Everyone was walking on air. Mr. Schue was right. They didn't care about the result. They had done literally all they could, and whether they were going to Nationals or not, they couldn't have worked any harder. And a bonus was that they all had a great time in the process. The judges went into their room for deliberation and, 5 minutes later, all three groups were called on stage. Rod Remington, the head judge, approached the podium.

"Wow. First of all, I would like to congratulate all three groups for making it this far, and for putting on great performances today. Trust me when I say this, it was not an easy call for us judges. But we have made our decision. Without further ado, in third place… Throat Explosion!"

Finn and the rest of the New Directions let out a sigh of relief. They were either first or second. Second would mean that they were out of the competition; first would mean that they were going to New York for Nationals.

"And in first place," Remington continued. "Advancing to the National round in New York, the winner of the Midwest Show Choir Championship is…"

He paused for a moment. Everyone in The Unitards and in New Directions' hearts were in their mouths. The tension was palpable and you could hear a pin drop in the vast auditorium. Finally, Remington opened his mouth to utter a single phrase.

"New Directions! Congratulations, you're going to Nationals !"

The moment the New Directions heard their name announced, they leapt into the air and started to shout. They were going to New York! They had triumphed! Mr. Schue lifted the trophy and then passed it around to the various New Directions members. Finn was one of the last to raise the trophy, but victory still tasted sweet. They were all still celebrating as they climbed back on the bus. Finn could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket but he ignored it. He was too busy celebrating the win with the rest of the Glee club, and It was probably George anyways. They made it back to McKinley, and Santana walked over to him.

"Congrats, Finn. You basically won us Regionals! You and Rachel are like our MVPs."

Finn laughed.

"Thanks, San."

Suddenly, his phone went off once again. Finn sighed.

"Someone keeps calling me. It's kind of annoying." He said. Santana rolled her eyes.

"Well why don't you, I don't know, answer it." She remarked. Finn chuckled and took out his phone. It was an unknown number, but had a Colombus area code. Finn answered the phone.

"Hello?" He said. A grave voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Is Mr. Finn Hudson around?" The voice asked.

"Yeah, speaking. Who's this?"

The person on the other side took a deep breath. Finn instantly knew that it was bad news. He just had no idea how bad it was yet.

"Mr. Hudson, this is St. Margaret's Hospital in Lima. You need to come here now. Um… there's no easy way to say this. Your mother, Mrs. Hudson was involved in a mugging gone wrong. She was unfortunately stabbed and bled out before she could make it to a hospital. She didn't make it…"


	20. Chapter 20

" _She didn't make it."_

Finn's hand went limp, and his phone dropped to the ground. He went pale. His legs gave out, and he sat down on a nearby bench. Santana noticed this sudden change in expression and she sat down next to him.

"Finn, you okay?" She asked. Finn shook his head.

"I gotta go." He said, taking off towards his car. Santana looked at him, confused. Something was seriously wrong with her best friend, and she wanted to find out what it was, so she could help him. She followed him to his car, and as he started the engine, Santana opened the passenger door and climbed in. Finn spun around to face her.

"What the hell, San?" He spat. "Get out of my car!"

"Nope. You're clearly not OK. You're my best friend. I'm not gonna let you do something stupid."

Finn sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Finn, what happened?" She asked softly.

"Um… I got a call from St. Margaret's Hospital. My mom, she was mugged, and then stabbed. She bled out before she made it to the hospital. She's gone."

Santana's face dropped. She couldn't believe it. While she was still regaining her nerves, Finn reversed out of the McKinley lot and sped towards the hospital like a maniac. Santana honestly thought she was going to die during that journey.

"FINN! SLOW DOWN! YOU'RE GONNA CRASH!" She screamed. Finn completely ignored her and kept on driving at a breakneck speed. A couple of minutes later, and probably 10 parking tickets later, Finn and Santana arrived at the hospital. Finn sprinted into the building, with Santana close behind. They approached the reception desk.

"WHERE IS CAROLE HUDSON!" He screamed at the receptionist. She jumped in shock, and then a look of pity crossed her face.

"You must be Finn, her son." She said, not losing her cool, despite the fact that Finn had just yelled at her. Finn nodded.

"She's in the hospital morgue on the seventh floor. I'm so sorry Mr. Hudson." She said, kindly. Finn ran towards the lift and punched the elevator button so hard that it almost broke. Santana took his hands in her own.

"Finn, I can't imagine what you're going through right now…" She said gently. "But you need to calm down. Lashing out isn't going to help anyone."

Finn nodded and slumped his head down in defeat. The lift door opened and Finn walked towards the morgue entrance, much calmer now. He was quickly shown to the room where his mom was temporarily lying until the funeral. Once they were outside the door, Santana stepped back.

"Hey, Finn. I'll be here, OK?" She whispered. Finn nodded, took a deep breath, and walked into the room to see his mother for the last time…

When he entered the room, what he noticed first was the extreme cleanliness. Despite the fact that he was in a room full of corpses, he started to choke on the strong disinfectant smell. He walked over to a body, covered by a white sheet. He pulled the sheet down a little to reveal the face of the person, confirming what he already knew. Carole's pale face was staring lifelessly back at him.

When he saw her, he broke down. Tears streamed down his face, and he forced them back, at least until he finished saying goodbye to his mother.

"Hey mom." He said to her, as though she was still sitting right there, alive and well. "I really don't know what to say right now, but I'm going to try my best. I honestly don't know where to begin. You took me in when nobody else would, when I was considered to be 'broken beyond repair'. I had seen things no 14 year old should have seen, done things no 14 year old should have done. But you didn't mind. You saved my life, simple as that. I love you so much, and I can't believe you're gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye. You're the best person I know; you didn't deserve this."

Finn started to break down, but he forced himself to finish.

"I already miss you. I know that you're probably having a lot more fun where you are now, but I still wish you were here with me. I know it's selfish, but you're never going to see the person I become. I'm going to make something of myself. I'm going to make you proud, I swear to you. All I can do now is hope now is that you're having a drink with Whitney Housten. That was always your dream for the afterlife, wasn't it? The only thing I know for sure is that this world's gonna be a much crappier place without you. I'm going to miss you so much."

He finished his goodbye, and the doctor that had snuck into the room covered his mom with the sheet once more, and put her in a body bag. Meanwhile, when the doctor entered the room, he had left the door slightly ajar, and Santana could hear Finn saying goodbye to his mom. Tears spilled down her lashes. She could hear the pain and the mourning in his voice, and it killed her to see her best friend so upset. And Carole was such a nice person: she didn't deserve what happened. She had taken Santana in when her own parents had cast her out. Carole was the kindest woman in the world. Finn kissed his mom's forehead and walked out of the room. Once he made it out, he started crying freely. All Santana could do was hold him and cry with him for his deceased mom.

"Finn, I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "Carole didn't deserve this."

Finn wiped the tears from his eyes as they left the hospital. He knew from the death of his biological mother that there were many meetings with police, regarding the murder investigation; Will Executors and funeral directors; and countless other people who were giving him their condolences. Thankfully, he had the night to just process everything that had happened. Finn and Santana drove home in silence. Carole was mugged whilst walking on a public street, and not in her house, so there were no CSI officers roaming around the house. Finn parked the car but he didn't get out. Santana looked at him, confused.

"Finn, are you okay?" She asked.

"I need to do something." He said suddenly. "And I need to do it alone."

"Finn… I." She started, but Finn cut her off. He knew exactly what she was about to say.

"Santana, thank you so much for caring about me - it means a lot - but I need to do this without you. I swear I'm not about to do anythings stupid or illegal. And I'll drive safely." He promised. She reluctantly sighed and got out of the car. Finn immediately drove away, making a beeline for the place. He parked his car 15 minutes later and knocked on the door. It was opened by a confused looking couple.

"Finn? What a surprise! Um… Santana isn't here." Mrs. Lopez said, confused.

"And you know that, so why are you here?" Mr. Lopez added. Finn looked him right in the eye before continuing.

"Mr. Lopez, Mrs. Lopez, it's time you apologise to your daughter and take her back. And accept her for who she is."

"Finn, it isn't that easy." Mrs. Lopez said, sighing. Finn didn't break eye contact.

"Please, just hear me out. 20 minutes. That's all I ask. My mom just died today." He murmured. The couple's mouths dropped, and they swung the door open to let him in. He spent the next 20 minutes explaining to them about what Santana had been through in the past two months, and how much her parents' rejection had affected her. He also talked about everything that had happened to his mom earlier that day.

"It all ended." He said. "So fast. One moment I was waving goodbye to my mom on the way to school, the next, I was in the hospital morgue, saying goodbye. It can all end in a heartbeat, and we have control over when. I was in great terms with my mom when she passed, and it's still killing me. I can't even imagine how you would feel if something happens to Santana tomorrow, and the last words you spoke with her were you kicking her out of your house - for doing absolutely nothing wrong. So here's how it's gonna work - you're going to apologise, earn her trust back, and let her back into your house and into your lives."

They were stunned by Finn's emotional speech. They both had tears in their eyes - even Mr. Lopez, who hadn't cried in 10 years.

"Finn, you're an amazing friend to Santana. You clearly care about her a lot, and I'm glad she has friends like you to counteract what we did." Mrs. Lopez commented. "First thing tomorrow morning, I am going to see my daughter, with or without you, Victor." She said, turning to her husband.

"It will be with me, Camila." He said. Finn smiled faintly, and immediately felt bad. His mom had just been murdered, and he was smiling. Was this how it was going to be for the rest of his life? Him feeling guilty for being happy? Finn politely excused himself, and drove back home. When he arrived, he saw Santana with a bottle of scotch in one hand, and two glasses in another. She had clearly broken into Carole's liquor cabinet, but Finn wasn't about to complain. He need to take the edge off, numb the incredible pain he was feeling.

"Here, drink this. It's liquid magic." She said, pouring him a glas. He accepted it gratefully and took a sip. It burned his insides, and he relished the feeling. Him and Santana both had two glasses each before Santana started feeling tipsy and had gone to bed. Finn was still awake though. He took the bottle, walked out to the balcony, and gazed out into the darkness, hoping that God was listening. His whole life had been shattered in a couple of seconds, but everyone else went on with their day as if nothing had happened.

"You cruel, manipulative bastard!" He shouted at the sky, hoping that God was somehow listening. However, Finn now had little faith that God really existed. I mean what kind of a god would let something so horrible happen to someone so wonderful. "Was this all part of Your plan? It's all just a game to You, isn't it? Well, she did not deserve that. She followed Your stupid rules and it still wasn't good enough! So what does it take to please You? Break Your rules and you fall! Follow them and you still lose?! Doesn't matter whether you're a sinner! Doesn't matter whether you're a saint! Nobody can win, so what's the point? What's the fucking point?"

After his outburst, there was a brief silence, and then a clap of thunder and lightning vibrated nearby. It started pouring rain, and Finn threw his empty bottle of scotch in a fit of rage. He stormed inside and took a shower. Once he changed into his pajamas, he walked into the living room, and that's when he saw it…

A picture of him and Carole that he took when they went to Mexico a couple of years back was lying on the glass coffee table. They both looked so happy, so carefree. That simple picture was enough to set Finn off again. He grabbed the nearest object to him - which in his case was a kettle - and hurled it at the table. It landed on the glass table and absolutely shattered it. Suddenly, for the first time in almost 3 years, Finn had a nightmare flashback. He was dragged back to the gloomy evening 10 years ago, when his own father had thrown him in the same fashion, into the same kind of table. Once the memory finally ceased, Finn curled up in a foetal ball in the corner of the room, trembling and shaking. Santana rushe out of her room when she heard the smashing of the glass table. She was afraid that Finn had done something stupid to himself. When he saw him in the corner of the room, she walked over and sat down next to him. All she could do that night was hold him, and eventually fall asleep next to him. It wasn't a peaceful sleep though, for either of them. It was riddled with nightmares of the horrors that had occurred that day.


	21. Chapter 21

Finn woke up, happy, the next day. He thought everything that happened the day before was just a bad nightmare. Then he saw the broken coffee table and knew that it wasn't a bad dream - it was reality. He walked into the kitchen and saw Santana cooking some pancakes. He walked over to her and she didn't hear him over the stove. He tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around and when she saw him, she gave him a comforting hug. Although Finn was in a bad way, he was much better than he was the day before.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Finn chuckled mirthlessly.

"Not great. But better than yesterday, that's for sure." He said. She nodded.

"Well, just think, as hard as it is now, it will get better."

"And you know this how?" Finn remarked, tiredly. Santana smiled faintly at him.

"Finn, I can't imagine what you're going through. I've never had to deal with anything like this. But I do know you. And I know how strong you are. You're going to get through it, hard as it might be, and you're going to emerge stronger. You're the toughest person I know."

Finn and Santana ate a quick breakfast, and then Finn had to go down to the police station to see if he could identify the murderer. The man had already pleaded guilty, so thankfully there wouldn't be a trial. The man had absolutely no connection to Carole, and Finn just needed to confirm that it wasn't premeditated. He also needed to record his alibi with the police. He had a solid one - he was all the way in Toledo for a scheduled Regionals competition. On the way to the station, Finn pulled over onto the hard shoulder. He had started trembling. He was about to see the bastard who put an end to Carole's life. Eventually, Finn made it to the police station and, after answering a few questions, he was shown to an interrogation room. He was on one side of the two-sided mirror, and a handcuffed man was on the other. The man suddenly looked right at the mirror, and Finn got to see the face of Carole's murderer.

Finn's first thought about the man was that he was very… understated. He was african-american, and was about 5'7. He was not particularly muscular either - he was the kind of man who would hide behind a weapon - not fight with his hands. However, what affected Finn most was the man's eyes. They were cold, unblinking and emotionless. Finn knew that he didn't recognise the criminal, but he wanted a couple of seconds in the room with that monster. He didn't even care about all of the policemen who were swarming around.

"Um…" Finn said, turning to the policeman. "I don't think I recognise him, but can I please get a closer look, just to be sure?"

The policeman nodded, and led Finn into the interrogation room. The moment Finn entered the room, he snapped. He lunged towards the shackled man and slammed his head on the table over and over again. The policeman, trained for this kind of situation, immediately tried to hold Finn back, but Finn was too strong.

"Mr. Hudson! GET OFF OF HIM!" The policeman shouted.

"You killed my mother, you piece of shit!" Finn growled, completely ignoring the policeman. When the criminal's safety was at risk, the officer was forced to tase Finn and cuff him. Once Finn was restrained, he calmed down and finished answering the officer's questions. He was finally released, and he was driven home by an elderly police officer. He parked outside Finn's house and turned to the boy in the back seat.

"Look, son. I'm really sorry about what happened. Nobody deserves that. And just know, that man is going to be locked away for at least 20 years. And jail is no picnic. There are some really hard criminals in there, and they'll prey on weasels like him."

Finn nodded.

"Well he deserves everything that's coming to him. But that won't bring my mother back."

Finn got out of the truck and walked into his house. There was a Glee party that evening, and despite Santana's protests, Finn told her to go. Finn settled for the night with a bottle of whiskey for comfort.

Meanwhile, in Rachel's basement, everyone was arriving for the Glee party. They were all celebrating their Regionals victory and Santana snuck into the party. She wasn't in the mood to party. Her friend was going through a tragedy, and she should be there with him.

"He's still in the police station," Santana told herself. Everyone was pretty wasted, but she didn't take a drink. She didn't want to be drunk in case Finn needed her. Suddenly, Quinn turned to her. Quinn obviously wasn't drinking either with a baby on the way.

"Hey San, did Finn already leave for his trip?" She asked. Santana shook her head. Finn had obviously cancelled his 2 week trip to South Africa after what had happened.

"No. No, he cancelled the trip." She said, quietly. Quinn looked at her, confused.

"Why? He was so excited for it? Where is he?" She asked.

"Yeah, where my boy Huddy?" Puck slurred. Everyone heard him and turned to Santana.

"Where the hell did he go?" Mike asked. "He left right after Regionals and he hasn't spoken to anyone in the past 24 hours. Santana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Brittany noticed her girlfriend's discomfort.

"Sanny, you OK?" She asked. Santana shook her head.

"Um, guys? I don't really think Finn's going to be talking to many people for the next few days. His mom…" Her voice trailed off and tears started to come to her eyes. She forced them away though, and continued speaking.

"His mom… she… um… she was murdered. She got mugged behind Rob Park yesterday and was stabbed."

Tears filled Santana's eyes; she couldn't say any more. Brittany put a comforting arm around her, and everyone was speechless. They couldn't believe it. Last night, while they had been having one of the best nights of their lives, Finn had been having one the worst of his.

"Oh my god! Is he okay?" Tina asked, her eyes filled with concern. Santana sighed.

"He's as good as he can be really. He said goodbye to her last night at the hospital morgue, and he spent most of today with the police."

"Can we do anything to help?" Rachel asked. Santana shook her head.

"I don't think so, at least not yet. He just needs time." She said.

"What are you going to do? Where are you going to live? Because Finn's probably going to have to move, right?" Mike said.

"Yeah, I mean he doesn't have any family, so he'll probably be placed in an orphanage or homeless shelter until he turns 18. And as for me, my parents spoke to me earlier today. They apologised for everything, so as soon as Finn's future is sorted out, I'm moving back with them."

Everyone's faces went from surprised, to happy for their friend, and then back to sad when they remembered what had happened to Finn. The rest of the night was relatively gloomy: everyone was thinking about Finn, and nobody knew what to say. Santana went home that night, happy for her own situation, but still devastated for Finn. Over the past two months, Carole had practically become a mother to Santana, and Finn was like a brother, so she was almost as crushed about Carole's death as Finn. When she arrived home, she noticed that Finn's car wasn't home yet, and she was instantly scared. It was 1 am. Where in the world could Finn be? She cautiously entered the extremely untidy house, and saw Finn fast asleep on the sofa, a bottle of whiskey still in his hand. She gently took it from him and put it away, before walking upstairs to bed. It had been a long day for both of them, and it wouldn't improve with time at all. In fact, for Finn, it would only get worse.

The doorbell rang early the next morning and Finn, who was still on the sofa in the living room, groaned in pain. He was nursing an excruciating hangover from the night before, and the loud bell did nothing to help. He slowly rolled off the couch and stumbled over to the door. He looked like a zombie, with his creased, untucked shirt; ruffled hair; extremely pale face; and his unsteady walk. He eventually made it to the door and by this point, Santana had emerged from her room as well. He nodded to her. Finn opened the door, to reveal a very familiar 17 year old boy, with short, messy brunette hair, and chestnut-brown eyes.

"Wow, you look like crap." The boy said. Finn couldn't help but smile. George had a way of making him laugh, even in the worst of times.

"Gee thanks." Finn replied, sarcastically. "What are you doing here, man?"

"I heard about what happened. I still can't believe she's gone. I'm so sorry, man. You have my…"

"Don't." Finn growled, quietly.

"Pardon?" George asked, confused. Had he said something wrong?

"I don't want your condolences. Or your apologies. All I want is one last conversation with my mom. But that's not gonna happen, is it?"

George shook his head and just gave Finn a hug. Finn invited George in and introduced him to Santana. They spent the whole day arranging a funeral service for Carole. She deserved a proper send-off, and they were going to do it Glee style. As well as the whole Glee club, Liam, Harry and George and their family were going to be attending the funeral. Also, a lot of Carole's friends and work colleagues would be coming. Carole was such an amazing person and Finn knew that there wouldn't be an empty seat in the whole chapel.

A week later, everyone filed into the beautiful chapel. Pictures of Carole were scattered around the room, and in quite a few of them, Finn was present as well. The morning of the funeral, Finn woke up early. He hadn't drank any alcohol the night before as he needed to be at his strongest emotionally if he wanted to be able to get through the day. He showered and put on his formal black suit. He was having flashbacks of his biological mom's funeral.

"Hey, you ready?" Santana asked. She was wearing a black dress, and Finn knew that although it would be undoubtedly difficult for him, it was also about to be really hard for her too. Finn had hired a funeral service company, so at least they didn't have to worry about planning the funeral themselves. The wake was set to be at MacLaren's Pub - they had struck a deal with the pub to allow them to have the wake there, despite the fact that many of them were under 21. The procession was set to be at midday, and Finn, Santana and George were taken in a hearse to the church. Finn and Carole didn't have any family, which is why it was Santana and George who accompanied him. When they arrived at the church, the sealed casket was carried to the front of the room and everyone took a seat. Finn wasn't really listening as the priest gave his eulogy. Finn knew that he would have to give a speech next, and he was eventually called up by the priest.

"And next will be Mrs. Hudson's son, Mr. Finn Hudson, to give a few words."

There was a quiet applause as Finn walked up to the podium. He had a pre-prepared speech in his breast pocket, and he took it out. His eyes quickly skimmed the hand-written page, and he sighed.

"Look, I can't do this." He said, ripping up the sheet of paper. "I can't give some lame-ass, heartless, pre-written speech. It would be an insult to my mom. She deserves a proper goodbye - a goodbye from the heart…"

Everyone's eyes filled with tears as Finn began to say a final eulogy for his mother. Finn could recognise the whole Glee club, Coach Beiste, Mr. Schuester, Ms. Pillsbury and Coach Sylvester, as well as many of his friends from Canada, and their families. He took a deep breath and began speaking.

"My mom was a wonderful person. She was the kindest, most loving and most giving person I've ever known. She didn't have a bad bone in her body, and she was always so full of life. As you all know, I was adopted by her 3 years ago, and she pulled me out of the depths of hell, when nobody else would. She deserves only the highest place in heaven. I'm going to miss her so much, and it means the world to me that so many people showed up today. I'm sure that she's looking down at us right now and she's touched at how many people made it out today, from both Ohio, and from Canada. Goodbye mom. I love you. And now, all of the children here today, from both Lima and Toronto, will be saying goodbye in our own unique way."

Finn stepped off the podium and walked back to his seat next to George, Liam and Harry. Tears were dripping from every eye in the room, and it was now for the Glee club to say goodbye. The New Direction walked to the front of the room. On their way up there, Santana put a hand on Finn's arm and squeezed it comfortingly. Santana, one of the most closed-off, badass people in the Glee club, had almost had a complete breakdown. Finn didn't deserve this. Nobody deserved it. Once the New Directions were in position, they began singing.

_**Finn:** _

_He called her on the road_

_From a lonely cold hotel room_

_Just to hear her say I love you one more time_

_**Santana:** _

_A little voice came on the phone_

_Said daddy when you coming home_

_He said the first thing that came to his mind_

_**All:** _

_I'm already there_

_Take a look around_

_I'm the sunshine in your hair_

_I'm the shadow on the ground_

_I'm the whisper in the wind_

_And I'll be there until the end_

_And I know I'm in your prayers_

_Oh I'm already there_

_**Rachel:** _

_We may be a thousand miles apart_

_But I'll be with you wherever you are_

_I'm already there_

_**All:** _

_Take a look around_

_I'm the sunshine in your hair_

_I'm the shadow on the ground_

_I'm the whisper in the wind_

_And Ill be there until the end_

_Can you feel the love that we share_

_**Finn:** _

_Oh I'm already there_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Union J - I'm Already There](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs5IYOE3zyQ) **

Tears increased by the end of the song. Everyone listening to New Directions' performance couldn't help but shed a tear. It was truly a lovely service, and a perfect way to send off such an incredible woman. The New Directions - minus Finn - walked back to their seats in the chapel, and George, Harry and Liam joined Finn on stage. Never in a million years would they have thought that their first song together in almost a year would be at Finn's mom's funeral. But nevertheless, they stood in the front of the room and sang their hearts out.

_**George:** _

_I'll sing it one last time for you_

_Do we really have to go?_

_It's been the only thing that's right in all I've done,_

_ohh_

_**All:** _

_Light up, light up_

_as if you have a choice_

_even if you cannot hear my voice_

_I'll be right beside you dear_

_**Finn:** _

_To think I might not see your eyes_

_makes it so hard not to cry_

_as we say our long goodbyes,_

_I nearly do, ohh, light up_

_**All:** _

_Light up, light up_

_as if you have a choice_

_even if you cannot hear my voice_

_I'll be right beside you dear_

_**Finn:** _

_(I'm right beside you dear, I'm right beside you dear)_

_**All:** _

_Louder, louder_

_and we'll run for our lives_

_I can hardly speak,_

_understand how you can raise your voice to say_

_**Finn:** _

_(to say ohh)_

_**All:** _

_Light up, light up_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Union J - Run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOpOV6qaVtE) **

Everyone was outright sobbing by the end of the song. The 4 boys who Carole knew so well and loved so much had delivered a beautiful, heart-shattering goodbye. It was now time for Finn's solo performance - to deliver the final goodbye to his deceased mother. He walked over to the keyboard that was at the side of the chapel and sat down.

_I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill_

_I threw the day old tea from the cup_

_Packed up the photo album Matthew had made_

_Memories of a life that's been loved_

_Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals_

_Poured the old ginger beer down the sink_

_Dad always told me, "don't you cry when you're down"_

_But mum, there's a tear every time that I blink_

_Oh I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know_

_A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved_

_So I'll sing Hallelujah_

_You were an angel in the shape of my mum_

_When I fell down you'd be there holding me up_

_Spread your wings as you go_

_And when God takes you back we'll say Hallelujah_

_You're home_

_I fluffed the pillows, made the beds, stacked the chairs up_

_Folded your nightgowns neatly in a case_

_John says he'd drive then put his hand on my cheek_

_And wiped a tear from the side of my face_

_I hope that I see the world as you did cause I know_

_A life with love is a life that's been lived_

_So I'll sing Hallelujah_

_You were an angel in the shape of my mum_

_When I fell down you'd be there holding me up_

_Spread your wings as you go_

_And when God takes you back we'll say Hallelujah_

_You're home_

_Hallelujah_

_You were an angel in the shape of my mum_

_You got to see the person that I have become_

_Spread your wing_

_And I know that when God took you back he said Hallelujah_

_You're home_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Ed Sheeran - Supermarket Flowers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIB8EWqCPrQ) **

Finn's touching goodbye to his mother was a cover of Supermarket Flowers, by Ed Sheeran. His performance was dripping with emotion, and it stabbed a hole in the heart of everyone in the room. It was the most painful thing Finn had ever done. During the song, Finn accepted the fact that Carole was never coming back; she was gone forever. Then came burying his mother's casket, which brought on a whole new level of pain. He never thought he could hurt this much. Even when he was on the street, no matter how many times he was beaten up, robbed, shanked or arrested, he never felt this… he didn't know how he felt. Miserable didn't even begin to describe it. The rest of the day went by in a blur. After the burial came the wake, where he drank more than he had ever before, and ended up passing out in George's mom's car. It was by far the worst day of his life, and his suffering was only just beginning.


	22. Chapter 22

Two weeks later, Finn was about to spend his first night in his house alone since Carole died. Santana had moved back into her parents' house a couple of days before, and George and his family were going back to Canada that evening. Although George was technically staying in a hotel in Columbus with his mom, he spent every day with Finn, and usually ended up crashing at Finn's house. Finn was so grateful for both George and Santana. They had truly helped pull him out of the deep depression he was in. He had now finally stopped drinking copious amounts of alcohol like he did when he first found out about his mother's death, and he was starting to prepare himself for what was to come. A Will Executor was coming the next day to discuss Finn's future. Although Finn already knew that he couldn't claim anything until he turned 18, he had no idea what the future had in store for him. His thoughts were interrupted by George's voice echoing up the stairs.

"Hey, Finn! Where are you at? I've gotta go now!" He called. Finn got up from his desk chair and walked downstairs. He didn't know when he would next see George, so he wanted to say goodbye. Finn gave his friend a bro hug and smiled at him.

"Dude, I can't thank you enough. I don't owe you one: I owe you a thousand." Finn said. George shook his head.

"Finn, come on. You don't owe me anything. It's what brothers do. And I know you would have been there for me if the roles were reversed."

Finn smiled at his friend. No, they weren't friends. They were more than that: they were family. Finn waved as George got into the passenger seat of his mom's car and Finn watched as the two of them drove away. Watching George and his mom made Finn's heart ache, as they reminded him of himself and Carole. He missed his mom so much. The night went by excruciatingly slowly, and it was almost a relief when the doorbell rang and the Will Executor walked in.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hudson." The man said, smiling kindly at the teenager. Finn nodded.

"Hey, how's it going? Can I get you something to drink?" Finn asked. The man shook his head.

"I'm good, thank you. Are you ready to start?"

"Yeah, let's do it."

They walked into the living room and sat down. They spent the next little while discussing what Carole had left him, and when he could claim it. Carole and Finn didn't have much money. She had around 20 thousand dollars left in her bank account that would be transferred into his account upon his 18th birthday. Carole didn't own any property, and their current house was rented to them until the end of the month. Over the course of the past two weeks, Finn had sold most of the furniture in his house, earning him an extra 10 thousand dollars. Finally, the last thing to do was to discuss where he would be next year.

"So, Mr. Hudson, the last thing we need to talk about is where you're going to be living next year. On Monday, we will transfer you into the Connecticut foster-care agency, who will be responsible for you until your 18th birthday."

Finn couldn't breath. He felt like his throat was closing up. Foster care? No way! Never again! If he went back into foster-care, he would basically be setting himself up for a life of crime, and quite possibly, suicide. He wasn't going to put himself through that, not again. He would rather take his chances on the streets than go back in foster-care. It technically wasn't illegal for a child to run away, so he had decided to do that if worst comes to worst. He could busk on the streets to earn him some extra cash as well. Finn turned to the man next to him.

"Excuse me, this is a lot to take in. Is it OK if I run to the bathroom and wash my face real quick?" Finn asked. The elderly man smiled sympathetically at him. Finn almost felt bad about what he was about to do.

"Sure, I know it's a lot to take in. And I'm really sorry that this is all happening to you." He said. Finn politely nodded and walked away. He quickly climbed upstairs to his room, which now only consisted of a suitcase containing clothes and other essentials. He also had a couple of photos of him and his mom; George, Liam and Harry; and the New Directions. The final item in his possession was his guitar, resting peacefully in its case. He quickly scribbled a quick letter and addressed it to Mr. Schuester. Then, Finn grabbed the bag and the guitar case and then jimmied the window before climbing out, into the night below…

_Hey New Directions!  
_

_It's Finn! There's no easy way to say this, but I'm gone. I don't know where, and I don't know when and if I'm coming back. I'm really sorry for leaving you so close to Nationals, but the government wants to put me back in foster care. I can't go through that again, I just can't. Last time I was in foster care, after all the times I was physically assaulted by gangs, I actually climbed up on the ledge, and it took everything I had to let myself down. After everything that happened with my mom recently, I just don't think I have the strength to get myself down if I climb up again. I don't know what state I'm going to. Or, when I turn 18, I might even leave the country. I'm sorry everything has changed so suddenly. Thank you everyone for everything you did for my mom's funeral - especially you, Santana. I'm glad everything worked out with your parents. You deserve all the happiness in the world. You all do. I'll never forget you guys._

_I love you all so much,_

_Finn_

Mr. Schue read the letter from top to bottom for what must have been the fifteenth time. When Finn hadn't emerged from the bathroom in ten minutes, the Will Solicitor went to look for him and found the letter lying on the floor of the abandoned room. He immediately delivered it to Mr. Schuester the next morning, who was getting ready for the first Nationals preparation session.

"I still can't believe it." He murmured to himself. As quickly as Finn had arrived, he had gone, quite possibly forever. Suddenly, Mr. Schue heard movement coming from the choir room next door and, looking out the window, he saw Brittany, Tina, Mercedes and Santana walk in. Santana!

'She was going to be devastated!' Mr. Schue thought. Oh well, no point peeling off the bandaid slowly. Might as well rip it off. Mr. Schue took a deep breath and walked into the choir room.

The whole Glee club - minus Finn - were already in the room. As soon as Mr. Schue entered the room, Rachel jumped up.

"Mr. Schue! Are we starting Nationals prep today?" She asked. Everyone noticed the grave expression on the teacher's face.

"Mr. Schue, are you OK?" Mike asked.

"And, Santana, where the hell is Finn?" Mercedes asked her friend. Santana shrugged.

"I don't know. The last time I saw him was like 3 days ago. He was with one of his friends from Canada. I haven't heard from him since."

"Well, if you haven't heard from him, I feel like nobody has." Puck said. Mr. Schue closed his eyes quickly, and then opened them.

"I have." He said, quietly. Everyone turned to him, confused.

"Um… okay? Where is he?" Quinn asked.

"Finn… he… um… he's gone." Mr. Schue said. Nobody spoke.

"He's dead?!" Mike exclaimed.

"YES!" Sam shouted in Glee. Everyone knew how much Sam hated Finn, and it was only made funnier by the fact that Finn couldn't care less.

"No, he's not dead. But he's gone. Here, listen to the letter he left."

Mr. Schue read the letter aloud to the Glee club. They were all silent for several moments after Mr. Schue finished reading the letter.

"So he's gone? Just like that? Right before Nationals? What a jerk!" Rachel cried. Santana glared at her.

"Shut up, Manhands. Listen to the letter. He didn't want to leave! He didn't have a choice." Santana spat at the smaller girl. Rachel crossed her arms and slouched in her seat. She knew that Santana was right, but she was still angry for selfish reasons. Finn was their key to winning Nationals! He was the straight, star-quarterback who could sing like a god. And winning Nationals would bring her closer to NYADA, and therefore closer to Broadway and her Tony.

Nobody knew what to say. A huge member of Glee was gone, and this time, he wasn't coming back. Santana didn't know how to feel. Part of her was in denial, part of her was crushed, and part of her was angry. How could Finn leave forever without saying goodbye? After everything they went through!

"Maybe it's a prank." Puck suggested reasonably. He could be right. Finn could be pranking them, and be walking through the choir room doors at any moment.

"Why don't you call him, Santana? If he were to answer to anyone, it would be you." Mr. Schue asked. Santana nodded and left the room, her phone in her hand. She walked to the lockers and bumped her head against the lockers. She started to hyperventilate. This couldn't be happening! She had just found a guy who genuinely cared about her more than her own family, with no intention of hooking up with her, and it had all been ripped away so quick. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. Suddenly, Finn's words to his mom in the hospital morgue came echoing through her ears. She finally began to realise how Finn felt about his mom's death. Suddenly, someone placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and Santana spun around. It was just Brittany. Santana relaxed a little.

"Hey, are you okay?" Brittany asked. She knew how much Santana loved Finn, but wasn't at all jealous as she knew that Finn and Santana's friendship was completely platonic. Instead, Brittany felt nothing but sadness and empathy for her girlfriend.

"What if he never comes back?" Santana said in an unusually quiet and unsure voice. "What if I never see him again? He changed my life. Me and you wouldn't be dating right now if it weren't for him spending a lot of time talking to me and convincing me to be myself. And although my parents haven't admitted it, I know that Finn went to talk to them after his mom died and convinced them to take me back."

Brittany felt so bad for her friend. She knew that, for Santana, it was like a family member had died.

"Santana, he's going to come back." Brittany said, simply. "You know Finn. He goes and does something rash, only to realise that Glee is exactly where he wants to be."

Santana shook her head.

"Not this time, Britt." She whispered.

"Just call him. Only one way to find out" Brittany replied in the same tone. Santana nodded and immediately found Finn's number in the Favourites section of her contacts. She called the number, only to eventually be greeted by the voicemail service.

"No answer." She told Brittany.

"Try again." Brittany suggested. Santana nodded and clicked the call button once again. The phone beeped a few times before automatically switching to voicemail.

"DAMN IT, FINN! PICK UP!" She screamed at the phone. Brittany hugged her girlfriend tightly. "Please pick up." Santana begged the unforgiving phone. She called him one more time and to her surprise, he answered…


	23. Chapter 23

Just keep running, Finn told himself as he climbed out of his house's window, and ran down the street for quite possibly the last time. He had no idea where he would, or what he would do; he just knew that he couldn't go back to foster care. As he walked purposefully down the street, he thought about the Glee club, and Santana in particular, and how he would never get a chance to see them again. Many times he was tempted to stop and go to Santana's house first to say goodbye, but he knew that if he went, she would find a way to stop him from leaving. Finn couldn't afford for that to happen, so he soldiered on. He finally made it to the Lima bus station, and took the 11 pm bus - the last bus of the night - to Lexington, Kentucky. There were many shady men on the bus but Finn didn't care. He was now homeless and knew that he would have to fight if anyone tried to attack him. And anyways, to an outsider, he was probably just as shady as the other men, in his black hoodie and dark jeans. Finn settled into his seat for the ride and 6 hours later, he arrived in Lexington.

By this point, the sun was rising for a new day. Finn was able to snag a couple of hours of sleep on the bus, so he forced himself to stay awake. As he was getting off the bus, he realised something. It was Monday morning, the first Monday after March Break, so Mr. Schue was probably breaking the news of his departure to the rest of the Glee club. He wondered how the Glee club would take the news. They would obviously be upset, Santana especially, and he felt terrible about it, but he forced himself to forget about them. They were his past and he had to focus on the future. However, that plan failed a minute later when he got a call. He took out his phone and looked at the Caller ID. It was Santana. He forced himself to ignore the call, and he did that successfully twice, but the third time, he knew that he needed to answer.

"Hey, Santana." He said quietly into the phone. He was immediately greeted by a string of rapid-fire Spanish that he could only assume were insults and swears. Eventually, she switched to English.

"Seriously, Finn? What the hell?! You leave in the middle of the night and you don't tell me? How could you do that to me? I never got a chance to even say goodbye to you! Or talk you out of leaving!"

"Yeah, I wonder what that's like: never seeing someone again and not even getting to say goodbye." Finn remarked sarcastically. He could practically hear Santana biting her tongue on the other end of the line.

"I just… I just wish you could have told me. And you didn't have to go. You could have stayed with me - I stayed with you for two months so it would have been only right for me to return the favour!"

Finn shook his head, as if Santana could see him.

"It's not that easy, San. Although your parents kicked you out, they were still your parents. Say for example you got injured and needed to go to the hospital. Your health insurance is under who's name? Your parents! I don't have that anymore!"

Santana sighed. She knew that he was right, but didn't want to admit it.

"So where the hell are you?"

"In the wind." He said, cryptically. Suddenly, a tour guide walked up behind him and exclaimed:

"Welcome to Kentucky, my fine sir!"

Santana couldn't help but snicker slightly. Finn resigned. He knew that she heard that man.

"OK, fine. I'm in Kentucky."

"You're gonna live in Kentucky? The birthplace of Trouty Mouth?!" She exclaimed, surprised.

"No, I'm just in Kentucky. I'm going to take a bus to Kansas City?"

"You're gonna live in Missouri?" She asked, confused.

"No, from Missouri, I'm taking another bus to Albuquerque."

Santana was extremely confused now.

"So where are you going to end up?"

"I don't know yet." Finn lied. He knew exactly where he was going. He had just enough money for a flight to the least bad state for the homeless: Hawaii. In Hawaii, there were plenty of bathrooms and showers for the public due to the many beaches; and it was pleasant weather all year long.

"Still, you should have at least said goodbye. Do I seriously meet that little to you? That you don't even bother telling me that I'm never gonna see you again. You were like a brother to me, Finn! But it's nice to know how you felt about me. _Puto._ "

"DON'T YOU GET IT, SAN?" Finn said, raising his voice and silencing her outburst. "I didn't leave without telling you because you don't mean anything to me. I did it because you mean so much to me that I knew that you would talk me out of going."

"So instead you ran like a little _puta._ You know what you are… a coward. A fat-ass coward who doesn't have the balls to face his problems so just runs away."

"Goodbye Santana." He said, quietly and hung up the phone. Finn sighed. If Santana was that upset and wasn't going to forgive him, he really didn't care to ever come back. He could start a new life in Hawaii. He could be one of those street performers. Maybe one day he could even earn enough to buy a small, studio apartment.

Meanwhile, back in Lima, Santana started to sob. If there was a small chance of him coming back before, she had truly driven him away now. Finn hadn't even bitten back: he had just sat there and taken the verbal abuse. Brittany enveloped Santana in her arms. She couldn't even imagine what the Latina was going through. Once Santana had finally stopped crying, 15 minutes later, they walked back into the choir room together. Everyone looked up at her, desperation in their eyes.

"So?" Mercedes asked. Sanntana could feel tears welling up in her eyes, and Brittany squeezed her hand comfortingly. She looked Mr. Schue in eye when continuing.

"I'm sorry guys. I don't think he's coming back. He's not even in Ohio anymore. When I spoke to him, he was in a bus station in Kentucky, but I know that it's not going to be his final destination. He's not telling me where it will be though."

Of course Santana immediately saw through his lie about not knowing where he was going to end up. Mr. Schue, as well as the rest of the Glee club, were devastated. Mr. Schue put his head in his hands. Winning Nationals would now be almost impossible, and they all knew it. Morale was low, lower than it had ever been.

Finn paid the driver and got onto a bus from Lexington to Louisville. Shortly after, when he made it to Louisville, he got on yet another bus to Corydon, Indiana. Finn was just thankful that he didn't suffer from motion sickness. 2 and a half hour later, and 4 bus stops later, Finn got off the bus at Corydon, Indiana. Despite everything, Finn was proud of himself. He was navigating through a country that he was pretty unfamiliar with, all by himself. In Canada, during his homeless years, he only stayed in the province of Ontario, but this time, he had crossed through 3 states. He spent the next couple of minutes sitting on a bench and deciding the best route to make it to California, from which he would take the flight to Hawaii. As he studied a map of the United States against the faint sunset light, an elderly man came and sat next to him.

"Hello, son. Can I help you with something?" He asked. Finn looked up and smiled at him.

"Thank you, but I'm pretty sure about the route I want to take." Finn replied. The man shook his head.

"That's actually not what I meant. I meant that you look troubled."

Finn sighed.

"Yeah, there's a lot on my mind. I lost my best friend this morning." He said. The man's eyes widened.

"She died?!" He exclaimed. Finn shook his head furiously.

"No, no, no. Thankfully, not. She just hates me, so much better."

"Well, as an old man who's seen a lot during his life, can I offer you some advice?"

Finn nodded.

"If this person is truly your best friend, you should apologise for whatever you did. And apologising doesn't always mean you're wrong and they're right. It just means you value your friendship more than your ego."

Finn nodded.

"Thanks but it's gonna be pretty hard to apologise with her being all the way in Ohio."

"Well then call her! You've probably got a phone! Don't let a stupid fight ruin an amazing friendship. I did that and look at me now: I'm old, friendless, and I'm sitting at the bus station without even needing to take a bus. I'm just here to talk to people."

Finn chuckled and nodded.

"Thank you sir. I needed to hear that."

"It's no problem. And the name's Walter. 'Sir' makes me sound old."

Finn laughed and stood up. The two men shook hands and Finn continued on the next part of his long, treacherous journey.

From Indiana, he took a bus to St. Louis, and then Kansas City, and then Albuquerque. The bus journey all merged into one in his head. Everytime he would arrive at his destination, he would just get up and, two minutes later, get on a different bus. When he made it to Albuquerque, he started to get a little bit more excited. He had travelled non-stop for almost 3 days. From Albuquerque, he took yet another bus to Phoenix. There were two reasons why Finn didn't just take a flight from Ohio straight to Hawaii: first of all, he would be saving a lot of money by taking the buses; and second, in that off-chance that the foster-care agency started looking for him, he would be harder to track whilst taking his current journey. Eventually, he made it to Arizona, and his excitement was mounting. He was just one state away from California, and it was only a 6 hour bus journey until he made it. He made it to Los Angeles at 2 pm local time, and when he arrived, he was practically bursting with excitement. He had never been anywhere like L.A before. Finn couldn't help but squeeze a little bit of tourism into his journey. He quickly visited Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Park, and the Hollywood sign, all places with free admission so he wouldn't be spending any money. For the past three days, Finn had been living off of crappy bus station food, and he already missed real food. While he was at the Hollywood sign in the Griffith Observatory, he got a text from Santana.

_Hey, Finn. I'm really sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it, and it would kill me if our friendship ended for that reason. You don't need to tell me where you live, what you're doing, or anything. Just please let me know that you're safe._

Finn sighed as he read the message. He was still pissed at Santana. He took a selfie in front of the Hollywood sign and sent it to her, as well as the following message:

_I'm safe. I'm in L.A right now. I'm about halfway through my journey. Good luck in Nationals. Goodbye, Santana._

He then put his phone in his pocket, and took a bus to LAX. He then finally bought his long-awaited ticket to Hawaii and, 3 hours later, he boarded the plane. He couldn't believe it. After almost a week of travelling, he was finally on his way to Hawaii!


	24. Chapter 24

The flight was uncomfortable, hot, stuffy and loud, but Finn didn't notice any of those things. He was going to freakin' Hawaii! The 5 and a half hour flight felt like mere minutes to Finn, who was practically walking on air. When they touched down, Finn grabbed his two bags and ran out of the airport, eager to explore his new surroundings. From his previous experiences, Finn knew that he wanted to live somewhere that was walking distance away from a major attraction, but not so close that he was constantly disturbed by the public. After a whole day of walking around an exploring, Finn finally found the ideal spot for him to set up camp. It was a shaded spot that was only accessible to people by crawling through an alley. It wasn't accessible to those walking. Finn knew that it was unlikely that anyone would mug him, or even disturb him at that. Moreover, Finn's new 'home' was a ten minute walk away from the breath-taking Hanauna beach. The crystal-clear waters and golden blanket of sand were a perfect backdrop for Finn's daily performances. Once Finn had put down his suitcase on the cave's floor, he picked up his guitar case and made his way over to the beach for the evening.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Rachel cried, stamping her foot on the floor. "Damn it, Noah! You need to keep up with my vocals!"

Rachel and Puck were trying out a possible duet for Nationals and it wasn't going very well. The rest of the New Directions, Mr. Schue included, were cringing at the music. Neither one was singing incorrectly, but Puck's voice didn't measure up to Finn's voice at all, and he knew it. Finn had a way of blending his voice to fit with whoever he was singing with, but with Puck, it was like him and Rachel were two bulls butting horns.

"Look, I'm sorry," Noah said, trying hard not to lose his temper and strangle the tiny brunette. "But you're pretending I'm someone else. I'm not Hudson. I'm never going to be Hudson. So rather than trying to force me to do something I can't do, why don't we find a song that I am actually able to sing. Or better yet, sing with someone else!"

Everyone was getting extremely annoyed at each other. They had a month until Nationals, and at the current rate, there was a better chance of pigs flying than them taking home first prize. Rachel was being intolerable, ordering Glee club meetings at least once a day - including during the weekend. It wasn't the same without Finn. When Finn was around, he had a calming quality to him that prevented them from getting to each other's throats, and he was the best singer so Rachel couldn't be too bossy. He wasn't there now though, and everyone felt it. Santana still felt horrible about how everything went down between her and Finn. She could sense from his text's tone that she wouldn't be receiving another one for a while, and it was killing her. She had pushed away her best friend in the world; he probably hated her. Every night, she would go home and cry into her pillow for an hour, and then stare up at the stars, hoping and praying that someway, somehow, she would see Finn again.

Finn's bare feet slipped through the golden blanket of sand. It was a gorgeous temperature outside; gentle rays of sunlight softly baked the many tourists on the beach. Finn walked over to an empty spot of land - it was hard to find one among the many picnic blankets, towels, etc. - but Finn found his spot eventually. He had decided on a set-list already, and he planned to not spending too long in one spot: he would keep shifting down the beach as the hour went by. Finn quickly tuned his guitar, opened his case for donations, and then started his first song.

_I lost my shoes last night, I don't know where I put my keys_

_I was tired and fell asleep beneath an oak tree_

_I bet my mother's proud of me from each scar_

_Upon my knuckle and each graze upon my knee, and all I know_

_Is I got a cab and then threw up on his car seat_

_He kicked me out and then I walked in the rain_

_I tell myself in every way, "I won't be doing this again"_

_And tomorrow's a brand new day_

_Someone told me, "always say what's on your mind"_

_And I am only being honest with you, I_

_I get lonely and make mistakes from time to time_

_So no man call ya, bibia be ye ye_

_Bibia be ye ye, ye ye ye ye_

_Bibia be ye ye_

_I remember less and less and mostly things that I regret_

_In my phone are several texts from girls I've never met_

_And in the pocket of my jeans are only coins and broken dreams_

_My heart is breaking at the seems and I'm coming apart now_

_Now things are looking up, I'll find my shoes right next to the oak tree_

_And I'll get a bus straight into town and spend the afternoon_

_Looking around for the things that I left on the ground_

_And say you're with me, tomorrow's a brand new day_

_Someone told me, "always say what's on your mind"_

_And I am only being honest with you, I_

_I get lonely and make mistakes from time to time_

_So no men call ya, bibia be ye ye_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_Someone told me, "always say what's on your mind"_

_And I am only being honest with you, I_

_I get lonely and make mistakes from time to time_

_So no men call ya, bibia be ye ye_

_Bibia be ye ye, ye ye ye ye_

_Bibia be ye ye_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye) (bibia be ye ye, ye ye ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_Bibia be ye ye_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

_My momma (be ye ye)_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Ed Sheeran Bibia Be Ye Ye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQlveAt9e88)

Finn had been told by a lot of people that he sang in a very similar style to Ed Sheeran - whether that was a compliment or not - so he tried to include a couple of Ed Sheeran numbers in every performance. As Finn started singing, people's attention turned to him, and many contributed to his guitar case of money. In fact, one couple even gave him a 20 dollar bill. That was when he realised something: tourists were generous!

3 hours later, Finn's guitar case was full of money. He counted it. In three hours, he had earned 60 dollars. It was the most he had ever earnt in that amount of time. However, he was a better singer now. Finn then took a shower in one of the beach's public showers before going to grab a bite to eat for dinner. As Finn walked down the street, he admired the miracle that was Hawaii. He was walking parallel to the beach, and he looked at the various cafes and restaurants that were next to him. He ended up going to a nearby Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, costing him about ten dollars, and leaving him with 50 dollars to save. Finn smiled to himself. At this rate, he might be able to afford rent on a studio apartment in a year's time. That night, Finn settled down on the rough ground of the small alley. He had brought a blanket with him from home but he didn't have a mattress. It was OK though - it was more than enough. He had food, water and shelter - everything else was a want, not a need.

The next day, Rachel was in the local music store, searching for a song for this week's Glee assignment. After all of the arguing the week before, Mr. Schue had put a hold on Nationals preparation to try and build team morale. The theme of this week's assignment was 'Hello,' and Rachel knew exactly what song she wanted to sing. She opened the Lionel Richie songbook and flipped through the pages, until she reached the song. Suddenly, the book was gentle lowered from her face, to reveal a well-groomed, dark haired boy, who Rachel recognised instantly.

"Lionel Richie, huh?" He said, smirking at her. "One of my favourites."

"Oh my god, you're Jessie St. James." Rachel said, astonished. Jessie was the male lead of Carmel High's 5 time National Champions Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel started to blush furiously.

"And you're Rachel Berry." He replied coolly. "I saw you perform at Regionals. Your rendition of Make You Feel My Love was flawed. You totally lacked Adele's emotional depth." He took the book from Rachel's hand. "But you're talented." He winked at her and walked away. She followed him and he continued to speak to her over his shoulder.

"You know, this is one of my favourite bookstores. I like to come and flip through the celebrity biographies, pick up some lifestyle tips. I'm a senior now, so this is kind of my victory lap. Snagging a fourth consecutive National championship would just be gravy. I'm getting out of Ohio soon. I've got a full ride to a little school called the University of California, Los Angeles. Maybe you've heard of it. It's in Los Angeles."

Rachel nodded and smiled at him. There was a brief silence, before both of them simultaneously noticed the piano in the center of the room.

"What do you say we take this song for a spin?" He suggested, walking towards the piano. Rachel was shocked and nervous.

"H… here?" She asked. "I… I'm kinda nervous."

Jessie sighed.

"Ah… I remember when I used to get nervous. Come on, I do this all the time. I like to give impromptu concerts for the homeless. It's so important to give back."

Rachel looked at him. Was he flirting with her? Could she finally have a boyfriend? She tentatively sat at the piano next to him, and he began to play and sing.

_I've been alone with you inside my mind_

_And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times_

_I sometimes see you pass outside my door_

_Hello, is it me you're looking for?_

_I can see it in your eyes_

_I can see it in your smile_

_You're all I've ever wanted, and my arms are open wide_

_'Cause you know just what to say_

_And you know just what to do_

_And I want to tell you so much, "I love you"_

_Oooh yeah_

_I long to see the sunlight in your hair_

_And tell you time and time again how much I care_

_Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow_

_Hello, I've just got to let you know_

_'Cause I wonder where you are_

_And I wonder what you do_

_Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?_

_Tell me how to win your heart_

_For I haven't got a clue_

_But let me start by saying, "I love you"_

_Is it me you're looking for?_

_'Cause I wonder where you are_

_And I wonder what you do (wonder what you do)_

_Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?_

_Tell me how to win your heart_

_For I haven't got a clue_

_But let me start by saying, "I love you"_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Hello - Glee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd-xLHUPuTY) **

With that song, Jessie had won Rachel over. It didn't matter that they were competing at Nationals. All she cared about was that someone wanted to date her. Someone who didn't care about her weight, nose, or anything. At the end of the song, both Rachel and Jessie leaned in. What Jessie didn't know was that that kiss was Rachel's first kiss ever. Another reason why she was so spell-bound by him. She didn't even see Mercedes, Tina and Kurt watching them from the corner of the room. Mercedes picked up her phone and made a call. The person on the other end answered. Mercedes took a deep breath and spoke.

"Mr. Schue, we've got a problem…"


	25. Chapter 25

Despite the hardships, Finn was actually having fun in Hawaii. He was earning good money - on a good day, he earnt almost 500 dollars. He spent what he needed to on food, and every week, he would put the rest in his bank account. Sure not having a home and not going to high school was inconvenient, but unlike his last homeless stint, he didn't feel physically threatened very often. He had been attacked once, in his third week, by a gang, but after he successfully fought them off, they left him alone. Who would try and pick on a 200 pound, 6'4 giant anyway? The people on the beach often changed as most people were there on a short vacation, so he was able to reuse set-lists on a two week cycle. The public loved his singing; he generated large crowds whenever he sang. Performing in front of crowds of sometimes up to a hundred people made him feel like a popstar, and he loved it.

Meanwhile, back in Ohio, Mr. Schue was driving over to Carme to look for their instructor - Shelby Corcoran. He wanted to confront her about her student dating his. He walked into the Carmel auditorium and his eyes widened when he watched the teenagers rehearse. They were singing AC/DC's Highway to Hell, complete with a fire machine. Next to Carmel, New Directions were no more than dirt on their shoes. At the end of the song, Shelby stood up.

"Stop, please, dear god, stop!" She shouted at the group. "Seriously guys? It's like watching beige paint dry. Could everyone please look at Jessie?"

Everyone turned to the brunette at the front of the stage.

"Jessie, give us a show face." Shelby told him. Jessie smiled widely, hands on his hips, and his body stick-straight.

"That is a show face, guys." Shelby explained to the group of elite singers and dancers. "You want to look so talented, it's literally hurting you. I want a look that's so optimistic, it could cure cancer."

Everyone put on a similar face to Jessie, and Shelby clapped.

"That's what I'm talking about. Take five, everybody drink a Red Bull!"

The whole group disassembled and went their separate ways for the break. Mr. Schue's eyes widened. This group meant business! He slowly walked over to Shelby and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to face him.

"Excuse me, Ms. Corcoran." He said. "Hi, I'm Will Schuester."

The two adults shook hands.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are." She said, lying.

"I'm a big fan, really. Um… I also coach the McKinley Glee Club."

"I don't usually cotton too well to my competition sneaking in to watch a rehearsal." She murmured, putting some papers in her bag. "But I also have trouble seeing you guys as competition."

"I believe you have a student named Jesse St. James?" Mr. Schue continued. "And I think he might be dating one of my students. I'm more than a little concerned with the whole fraternizing with the enemy aspect of their relationship."

"You think we're spying on you?" She asked.

"Honestly? Yes."

Shelby nodded slowly and replied.

"Noted. Look, I don't stand for any funny business, and Jesse's a good kid. I mean, what can you do? The heart wants what the heart wants. Sometimes there's that little spark."

The next day, Rachel walked into Glee rehearsal with a huge smile on her face. She finally had a boyfriend, and they had so many similar interests. They were both into Broadway, fashion and many other things.

"Hey, guys." Rachel said, surprised. The whole Glee club was already in the choir room. Usually, she was the first to arrive.

"Cut the butter, Benedict Arnold." Santana said. "We heard about your new boyfriend."

"Look, Rachel, we're all happy that you're happy, but we've worked too hard in Glee Club to let you throw it all away on a relationship that might not even be real." Quinn said.

"Why? Cause he's in Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel cried.

"Their motto is "aut neca aut necatus eris," which loosely translates to "murder or be murdered." Puck remarked.

"They give their dancers human growth hormone." Tina added.

"Look, we're not saying the dude is playing you…" Mercedes started, kindly, but Kurt interrupted her.

"He's playing you." Kurt said, sassily.

"We just think that until Nationals are over, we can't risk the possibility that he is." Mercedes, continued. She had sympathy in her eyes. Like Rachel, Mercedes knew how few people in Lima wanted to date people like them.

"None of us wanna go through what happened at sectionals again." Mike said.

"Okay, look. Jesse and I might not be true love, but what if we are? I know who I am. And how many chances at this am I gonna get?" Rachel argued.

The whole Glee club exchanged a look, and Kurt nodded.

"If you don't break up with him, you're out." Kurt said, bluntly. Rachel's jaw dropped.

"You can't kick me out!" She cried.

"But we can all quit if Mr. Schue doesn't." Artie blackmailed her.

"Well, good luck winning without me." She spat.

"Everyone is replaceable. Even you." Puck said.

"How could you do this to me?" Rachel whispered.

"How could you do this to us?" Mercedes argued back. "We're a team, and all you've ever wanted was for us to be great, and be a part of something special. Now, is that still true or not?"

Rachel's eyes filled with tears and she stormed out of the room. She immediately sent a text to Jessie.

_We need to meet. NOW. R x_

Her text was short, and to the point. She knew what she had to do. They had to break up, for the team. Her thought train was interrupted when she got a response.

_Sure, come to the Carmel's auditorium ASAP. J xx_

Rachel made her way over to Carmel in her pink mini-cooper car. She walked into the auditorium. It was empty.

"Jesse?" She called out to no answer. Suddenly, a mega-powerful spotlight shone on her. She jumped.

"Who's there?"

Again, no anwer.

"I carry a rape whistle!" She shouted into the darkness. Someone snickered. She turned towards the voice.

"Just me." She heard Jessie say, and he stepped on stage alongside her. She relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.

"Most spots are 2,500 watts. This one is 10 times brighter." He exclaimed as both of them squinted at the spotlight. "We have to wear sunscreen on stage, but it's worth it."

"I guess everything is bigger and brighter here." Rachel said, glumly. Jessie giggled.

"I have to ask you something." She started. "And I need you to tell me the truth, because if you don't there will be consequences, life-and-death consequences. Because if I give myself to you, and it turns out that you're just playing me, I might die. Not literally, but emotionally. It'll be the kind of heartbreak that girls like me hold for the rest of their lives, like Barbra in "The Way We Were."

Jessie unexpectedly laughed.

"Oh my god." He chuckled and put his hands on Rachel's waist.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"You're more of a drama queen than I am." He remarked and stepped back. He then held out a hand for her to shake.

"Hi, I'm Jesse." He said. Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"I know who you are." She said.

"No, you know Jessie St. James, the star of Vocal Adrenaline, your competition at Nationals. I wanna introduce you to Jessie, the guy who's nuts about you. The guy who would never hurt you."

After his charming speech, the two of them embraced.

"No one can know." Rachel whispered.

"I understand." He replied. They kissed. As they were kissing, Jessie looked over his shoulder at Shelby, who was watching in the wings. He winked at her, and she nodded at him. The plan was set.

George was upset. After everything that had gone down with Finn's mom's funeral, Finn hadn't even called him since he got back to Canada. Finn was like a brother to George and George loved him a lot, but damn it Finn was bad at communication!

"Hey mom, you haven't happened to have heard from Finn, have you?" He asked his mom. The two of them were sitting in their house in Forest Hill, Toronto, and they were playing a game of chess against each other. It was a Saturday afternoon tradition for George and his mom: his dad had taught him how to play - before he walked out on them - and the winner of the game would get to pick where they ordered takeout from. It was always an intense affair, despite the fact that it was a friendly game between family. Mrs. Shelley shook her head.

"No, when was the last time you heard from him?" She asked.

"I haven't heard from him since I left. I've never gone this long without speaking to him before so I'm starting to get worried."

"Well have you called him?"

George nodded.

"Yeah, and texted him, whatsapped him, DMed him and Snapchat messaged him. He's not responding."

"Do you have any of his friends' numbers? Maybe try calling them?"

"That's a good idea." He replied. He had only one of Finn's friends' numbers: Santana. He took out his phone and called her. The phone rang a few times before Santana picked up.

"Hello?" Santana said, confused. She didn't recognise the number and she was 99% sure it was a prank or a marketing call.

"Hey, Santana?"

"Yeah, who's this."

"Um… this Finn's friend, George. I haven't heard from him in like a month, so I'm starting to worry. Is he okay?"

Suddenly, the phone beeped loudly and then turned off. Santana had hung up on him. George slowly moved the phone away from his ear. Something was wrong, and if Santana wasn't talking, it must be pretty bad.

As Santana lowered the phone, she broke down into sobs once again. She was finally starting to stop thinking about the tall brunette, and that call brought everything crashing back down like a tsunami wave. She knew it wasn't George's fault - he was just looking out for his friend - but in Santana's opinion, he was such a jerk!

"Mom, can I ask you for a huge favour?" George asked his mother after he put his phone away.

"You want to travel to Lima?" She asked. George nodded. The problem wasn't about the cost of the trip - George's dad was a multi-billionaire who paid them a crap-ton of alimony money every month. The problem was the inconvenience. But Mrs. Shelly knew how much Finn meant to her son and her. Finn was basically a part of their family, and she hadn't forgotten how Finn saved her son's life all those years ago.

"Yes, please. Can I?" George asked hopefully. He was already eyeing the storage room, where the suitcases were kept, and he was already thinking about what clothes to bring for the short vacation.

"Sure, son. I know that Finn's like a brother to you. Hell, he's like a son to me too. You can go to Lima for a couple of days to see if he's okay. You've gotta be back soon though."

George jumped up and kissed his mom's cheek.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He cried, and then ran out the room to pack his bag. Less than 15 minutes later, his bags were packed and his mom was driving him to Toronto Pearson Airport. There was a flight to Cincinnati in just under 2 hours, and George intended on being on it. He would have to hurry though. When they arrived, he jumped out of the car, kissed his mom on the cheek, and ran into the airport, dragging his bag behind him. Whilst he was in the car, he had texting Liam and Harry to tell them where he was going. They were also worried about Finn, but they knew how close George and Finn were so they refrained from going. If something really bad was happening to Finn, George was probably the only one who could talk him down. George flew through check-in, passport control and security and he made it to his boarding gate with 15 minutes to spare. He panted as he waited in the line for boarding the plane. He only relaxed once he was on the aircraft, and 3 hours later, he was walking towards Baggage Claim in Cincinnati airport.

It was now almost midnight, but Mr. Schue was still working, grading some Spanish papers that he didn't get to due to the numerous Glee rehearsals. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Mr. Schuester?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Jessie St. James. Can I talk to you about something…"


	26. Chapter 26

"NO WAY! Are you crazy, Mr. Schue?!" Mercedes cried.

"I thought you all would take this news a little better. I'm a star. You can learn from me." Jessie said, cockily.

"We were already fighting for second leads. And now that you've shown up, I've lost all hope at ever getting a solo." Kurt exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's right. And y'all just trot me out at the end of every number so I can wail on the last note. How is that okay?" Mercedes shouted.

"He's a spy, Mr. Shue. I would know. I'm like the biggest snake here." Santana explained. She had, yet again, shoved down her sadness about Finn and put on her bitchy expression. The only two people in the world who could successfully break the wall down were Brittany and Finn.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, guys. I saw all the paperwork, I spoke with his parents…" Mr. Schue said.

"They winter in Bali. It's a very expensive phone call." Jessie purred. Everyone other than Rachel rolled their eyes at the stuck-up 18 year old.

"Jessie just moved in with his uncle, which is in our school district. It's all above board, guys. He goes to this school now." Mr. Schue said.

"But this isn't fair." Artie muttered.

"Guys! Everyone who's ever auditioned for this group has gotten in. That's how we do things here. Okay, to suddenly change the rules now, that would be unfair." Mr. Schue exclaimed, appalled of his students. Brittany suddenly raised her hand.

"What's up, Brittany?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Mr. Shue, is he your son?" Brittany asked. Everyone looked at her as if she was from Mars.

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this?" Rachel asked Jessie. Jessie cupped her face in his hands.

"Because when you love something, you got to go for it. You would never be with me completely if I were on the opposing team. And I care about you more than winning another national title. So I left Vocal Adrenaline. For you."

"All right, guys, we have got a lot of work to do. Jessie, great to have you here. Welcome aboard!"

It had officially been a month and a half since Finn arrived in Hawaii, and his life had started to build a rhythm to it. He would go for a run and do bodyweight exercises on the beach to keep his strength and fitness up; he would he some breakfast; perform for 3 hours; eat lunch at one of the numerous restaurants by the beach; play another performance in a location further down the beach for a couple of hours; eat some dinner and then go back to his shelter. The temperature was starting to get a little hotter as it was now almost the beginning of May. Finn woke up one morning, worked out, ate breakfast at Costa coffee, and then got ready for his first set of the day. The people knew him pretty well by now, and they all applauded as he started to play his guitar. He had decided to do a set of just original songs, and he started with the song that he sang on the camping trip with George, Liam and Harry. He missed those guys so much, especially George. They probably knew that he had run away by this point, but they had no way of reaching him.

_I met you in the dark, you lit me up_

_You made me feel as though I was enough_

_We danced the night away, we drank too much_

_I held your hair back when_

_You were throwing up_

_Then you smiled over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I was stone-cold sober_

_I pulled you closer to my chest_

_And you asked me to stay over_

_I said, I already told ya_

_I think that you should get some rest_

_I knew I loved you then_

_But you'd never know_

_'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go_

_I know I needed you_

_But I never showed_

_But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed_

_I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head_

_And I'll take the kids to school_

_Wave them goodbye_

_And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night_

_When you looked over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I forget that I'm older_

_I wanna dance with you right now_

_Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever_

_And I swear that everyday you'll get better_

_You make me feel this way somehow_

_I'm so in love with you_

_And I hope you know_

_Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold_

_We've come so far, my dear_

_Look how we've grown_

_And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I wanna live with you_

_Even when we're ghosts_

_'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most_

_I'm gonna love you 'til_

_My lungs give out_

_I promise 'til death we part like in our vows_

_So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows_

_That it's just you and me 'til we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Oh, just say you won't let go_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yW7w8F2TVA)

Say You Won't Let Go was always a crowd-favourite: he always earnt extra funds from that song. It was the best song he had ever written himself and the ladies in particular loved it. An hour later, he had enough money to break for lunch, so he walked down the beach strip, looking for a restaurant. He knew he needed to look at healthy restaurants as well - if he got fast-food every day, he would get pretty obese. He decided on Subway and he ordered a steak sandwich and a drink. He sat down, happily eating his sandwich when suddenly, someone slid into the booth and sat opposite him. Finn looked up in confusion and annoyance, and then he saw who it was.

The man was dressed in a formal suit, rather than the more traditionally worn Hawaiian shirts or beach clothes, so Finn knew he was important. A business owner perhaps. Or maybe a lawyer?

"Hello, sir. Can I help you?" He asked.

"Yeah, actually. You were great today. I don't think I've ever heard a performer as good as you."

FInn laughed and smiled.

"Thank you, sir. And you're too kind. Today's just been a good day I guess."

The man shook his head.

"No, you've been just as good every day for the past month."

"Well, it's a huge confidence-booster to know that you enjoy my performances." Finn said, beaming.

"Yeah, I love them, and I'm sure my resort would too. Which is why I would like to offer you an opportunity…"

"FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!" Sue shouted. The Cheerios were rehearsing practically every day, but now they had two new members. Mr. Schue walked into the gym during one of their many rehearsals and his jaw dropped. There, in Cheerios uniforms, were Kurt and Mercedes singing a Madonna number with the rest of the Cheerios. Will stormed over to Sue, who was holding her bullhorn and was standing at the front of the room.

"Sue, what the hell is going on here?" He shouted. She turned to him and smirked.

"Oh, what's the matter, buddy? Did you miss the show? You probably had to run to the powder room. Let me fill you in. Future center square Kurt Hummel there and his brassy hag Mercedes just tore that Madonna song a new one."

"Wait, you two are Cheerios now?" Mr. Schue asked, turning to his students. It was Sue who answered.

"Yeah, I've decided to add vocals to my already wildly overproduced Cheerios numbers. It'll give us the edge at Nationals."

Mr. Schue turned to his students once again. He was annoyed.

"You guys could've at least given me the heads-up." He told them. Mercedes chuckled mirthlessly.

"You mean, the same way you gave us a heads-up before not giving us a solo almost every week?" She remarked.

"Mr. Shue, Mercedes and I talked it over, and we love being in Glee, but being in the Cheerios will give us more opportunities to shine. So we're doing both."

Sue smirked cockily at Will.

"Ah, chipper up, Tiger. You know, I was down at the pharmacy today, and they're having a monster sale on Dep. Dep is a hair gel. And once again, I am making fun of your incredibly stupid hairdo."

"I'm sorry. You're offering me a full-time job?" Finn asked in disbelief. The man nodded.

"Yup. I own the Dreams Riviera resort and we are in need of a new singer. I feel that you would be perfect for the job."

Finn slowly nodded and smiled widely. This day was turning out to be amazing!

"So if I were to take this job, how much would I be earning?"

"Well, this is what we are willing to offer you for a six month contract, with a view to, afterwards, signing a 2 year contract." He said, sliding a small slip at paper towards Finn. Finn slowly peaked at the number and he almost choked on the water he had just taken a sip from. It was more money than he would earn in a year of street performing.

"Wow, this is…" Finn started but his voice trailed off.

"There's more." The man said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?" Finn asked, cautiously.

"Well, if you take this job, you also get free accommodation in one of the resort's suites, food and drinks at the resort. And full access to any of the hotel's amenities, including the beaches, swimming pools, gyms, etc."

Finn was speechless. This man was like an angel sent straight from the highest point in heaven.

"So, what do you say? We can sign the contract this afternoon and you can move in tomorrow."

Finn was over the moon! He was so happy he almost got up and did a quick jig.

"Yeah, I'll do it!"

As George exited the airport, he thought about where he wanted to go first. He got into a cab and told the driver the location. 20 minutes later, he arrived at Finn's house. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. After a minute of waiting, the door finally opened and an old asian couple peered at him. George raised an eyebrow.

"Um… hi? Does Finn Hudson live here?" He asked. The couple scoffed.

"Americans." the man grunted in a very thick accent.

"We no speak english." The woman said. George nodded.

"Sorry, wrong house." He said and walked away. The couple rolled their eyes and shut the door. George was confused, and a bit more worried now. He was sure that he was at the right house. Had Finn moved out? And if so, where? George wanted answers. No, he needed them.

He then went to his next spot on his list of locations: McKinley High. He walked into the school and nobody stopped him as he looked like any other high school student. During Christmas break, Finn had briefly showed him the choir room, so George knew where to go. He cut through the field and walked into the choir room. It was empty. Another dead end, George thought. Suddenly, he saw movement coming from the office next door, so he decided to ask the person inside. He knocked on the door.

"Come on," He heard a voice weakly call out, and George entered the room. He instantly recognised the man as Mr. William Schuester, the coach of Finn's Glee club. He remembered the man from Carole's funeral.

"Hi, um… I don't think you know me but…" George started but was interrupted.

"You're Finn's friend, right? You, him and two other boys sang that beautiful song at his mom's funeral? " Mr. Schue asked. George nodded, surprised that the man remembered him.

"Yeah, I am. And I haven't heard from Finn in over a month. And then when I called Santana asking if he was OK, she just hung up on me and didn't answer. I'm getting kind of worried."

Mr. Schuester sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised that Santana didn't give you an answer. She's not doing too well. Finn… um… he ran away from home. None of us know where he is."

George's heart dropped.

"WHAT?" He shouted. "You've got to be kidding?!"

Mr. Schue shook his head and looked at the dishevelled boy.

"I wish I was. Finn was told that he would have to be put back in foster care until he turned 18, and he couldn't do it. He ran away. Santana called him and ended up insulting him so much that he hung up on her and he hasn't spoken to anyone since. I'm sorry I can't be of more help than that. You can try talking to Santana, but I doubt she'll be much help either."

George slowly nodded. He couldn't believe it. Finn had gone AWOL. George didn't know where Finn was, what he was doing, but he knew one thing. He was going to find Finn, if it was he last thing he did.


	27. Chapter 27

It was finally the week of Nationals and despite everything, the New Directions were excited. Although Jessie was a huge dick, he was undeniably a good singer. He wasn't Finn's level, but he was still good. Rachel and Jessie's relationship was also going well.

Mercedes, Artie, Kurt and Tina were walking to Glee rehearsals together, chatting about the upcoming competition.

"Is it just me, or does it feel like we have a real shot at Nationals next week?" Mercedes asked, excitedly.

"The National show choir chat rooms are all buzzing about how Vocal Adrenaline have lost a step." Artie informed them.

"I agree," Kurt said. "The judges know all their trucks, and now that we have Jessie, they've lost their best performer."

Rachel suddenly ran up to them.

"You guys have to come to the auditorium. NOW!"

They all ran to the auditorium, where they were met along the way by Santana, Brittany, Puck, Quinn, Mike and Sam. Now that Quinn had given birth to her baby, she had been made Head cheerleader again, and was let back into the popular circles. The 11 of them entered the auditorium together, and saw Vocal Adrenaline on the stage. Suddenly, the lead singer turned his head and they saw who he was… it was Jessie!

"Jessie? What are you doing up there with them?" Rachel cried. Jessie smirked at her.

"I've transferred back to Carmel High, Rachel. I'm sorry that it's come to this, but you guys were awful to me. You never accepted me, you never listened to my clearly superior ideas."

"Why are you here, in our auditorium?" Puck demanded.

"The blogs and chat rooms say that we're finished, and that you guys are ripe to topple us. We just wanted to show you a little something we came up with a few days ago to see if you agree with that assessment."

Vocal Adrenaline then got into position for a number, and a backing track immediately started playing.

_Oh! let's go!_

_Steve walks warily down the street_

_With his brim pulled way down low_

_Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet_

_Machine guns ready to go_

_Are you ready hey are you ready for this?_

_Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?_

_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_

_To the sound of the beat yeah_

_Another one bites the dust_

_Another one bites the dust_

_And another one gone and another one gone_

_Another one bites the dust hey_

_Hey I'm gonna get you too_

_Another one bites the dust_

_How do you think I'm going to get along_

_Without you when you're gone_

_You took me for everything that I had_

_And kicked me out on my own_

_Are you happy are you satisfied?_

_How long can you stand the heat_

_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_

_To the sound of the beat look out_

_Another one bites the dust_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Glee - Another One Bites the Dust](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_HUjSl2uR0) **

At the end of the song, Rachel and Jessie made eye-contact. Rachel was heart-broken. She had been played. Everyone had warned her but she didn't listen. She put her own happiness first, and it was going to cost the team.

Meanwhile, Finn was having the time of his life. He had successfully moved into a massive suite in the luxurious Dreams Riviera resort. He had such a calm schedule as well. He would perform for 2 hours in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, and 2 in the evening. The rest of the day could be spent doing whatever he wanted. As part of his contract, he was given 3 free meals a day in any of the resort's 7 restaurants, and, although he was underage, he was given special permission to be served alcoholic drinks, provided he didn't abuse that privilege. Finn had also gone into town a few times to buy clothes. He didn't bring much with him and, now that he was earning good money, he could afford luxuries like them. Finn constantly considered calling Santana and the Glee clubs to see how Nationals prep was going, but he always talked himself out of it. The last thing he wanted to do was piss them off and throw off their concentration right before the big competition. Finn was about to perform his final of the night, so he quickly tuned his guitar and played the soft acoustic song, matching the gentle rhythm of the ocean waves.

_When your legs don't work like they used to before_

_And I can't sweep you off of your feet_

_Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love_

_Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks_

_And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70_

_And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23_

_And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

_Maybe just the touch of a hand_

_Oh me I fall in love with you every single day_

_And I just wanna tell you I am_

_So honey now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud_

_Maybe we found love right where we are_

_When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades_

_And the crowds don't remember my name_

_When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm_

_I know you will still love me the same_

_'Cause honey your soul can never grow old, it's evergreen_

_Baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory_

_I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

_Maybe it's all part of a plan_

_I'll just keep on making the same mistakes_

_Hoping that you'll understand_

_But baby now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud_

_That maybe we found love right where we are, oh_

_So baby now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud_

_That maybe we found love right where we are_

_Oh baby, we found love right where we are (maybe)_

_And we found love right where we are_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA) **

"Thank you, everyone! And have a great evening!" Finn said into the mic and the people on the beach all cheered and applauded for him. Finn stepped off the stage and walked back towards his room. On his way, he admired the gorgeous sunset. He watched the horizon, spreading its largess into a grateful sky. Rich hues of red blended with oranges, purples, crimsons. Finn couldn't help but smile at the sight as he was transported into a timeless existence, ready for the protective blanket of night and new dreams. As he lay in his fluffy, vast, king-sized bed, he pondered about the life he was living. Sure he was earning good money, and was being provided with food, shelter and health insurance, but he wasn't happy. He missed high school: Glee club, football, his friends, and all of the drama. He was still only 17 after all! He shouldn't have had to grow up so fast.

"It's a Carmel High tradition. They psych out the competition before the big show. They call it a funkification. Meaning they show us what they've got, and we spiral into a deep black funk."

"Yeah. Yeah, we used to do the same thing to other football teams." Sam said. "You know, try and get inside their head before a big game, pull little pranks to intimidate them."

"Yeah, well, the difference is our football team sucks without Finn. Those guys are golden." Puck pointed out.

"Come on, keep your heads up, guys." Kurt exclaimed. "It's going to take more than that to get us into a funk."

They then walked into the choir room, only to see the whole room . Mr. Schue then walked into the room and his mouth dropped. He saw what happened in the auditorium - he was in the lighting booth at the top of the auditorium so nobody noticed him - but never expected this. He sighed.

"Come on, guys. Let's clean this up." He said. They all nodded and started throwing the copious amounts of toilet paper into large black bags.

"I feel so violated." Tina said. "It's like someone broke into our home."

"Look, it was just a lame little prank. And the fact that they're trying to get to us means maybe we got them spooked." Mr. Schue tried to encourage the Glee club, but none of them bought it.

"Uh-uh, Mr. Schue. They aren't afraid of anything." Mercedes murmured glumly. "That number they did was fantastic! You know, which doesn't make any sense. They had all that equipment. How did they even get in?"

"I gave 'em all keys." A voice from the doorway said. They sighed as they immediately recognised the person. Of course it was Coach Sue trying to mess with them. "Helped them a sound check over the weekend."

Coach Sue then left the room and everyone put their head in their hands. After Finn left, morale was already low, and this sudden change only made it lower. And they left for New York later that day!

"OK guys, I want to talk to you guys about regrets." Mr. Schue said after Coach Sue had left the room. "Who has some?"

"Giving my heart to Jessie, just to have it crushed like the stage floor at a performance of Stomp." Rachel said.

"Thinking 'trust me' was a sensible birth control option." Quinn added.

"We all have them." Mr. Schue pointed out. "I just finalised my divorce. I regret living in a relationship that wasn't working. Letting her put me in these deep funks and not fighting back."

"Besides lowering morale even further, why are you telling us this?" Santana asked.

"Because if we lose to Vocal Adrenaline at Nationals, none of us are going to regret it. We will have given it our best shot and we won't look back. But we will regret letting them get the best of us right before the competition."

They all nodded and nobody said anything else. Mr. Schue put his head in his hands. They were not going to win Nationals. They needed a miracle. And unfortunately, they weren't going to get one, and Mr. Schue knew it. They climbed onto the plane that evening, all of them dreading what was to come. Even Rachel wasn't excited about going to New York. They were too busy thinking about how Vocal Adrenaline were going to chew them up and spit them out.

George called Finn for what must have been the 15th time that night. He had just arrived back in Toronto, and his short trip to Lima had not helped at all. He now knew that Finn had run away, but he didn't know where to. Finally, a miracle occurred. Finn answered his phone.

"Whoever this is, please stop calling me!" Finn said into the line, clearly frustrated. He thought it was marketers.

"Finn! It's George, and I'm pissed! Where the hell are you?! I literally flew to Lima to look for you, and your Glee coach said that you ran away?! And you didn't answer any of my calls!"

"Sorry dude. My phone broke down around a month ago and I just got a new one so I didn't have your number saved. I thought you were some kind of marketer cause you spam called me so many times."

"Oh, that checks out." George said, relieved. "So where the hell are you?"

Finn sighed.

"Look, you can't tell ANYONE where I am." He started.

"Yeah, fine. By the way, I think Santana's pissed at you. I tried to call her to ask if she had heard from you, and she hung up on me."

Finn chuckled mirthlessly.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know." He murmured.

"What the hell happened between you two?" George asked. "I thought you two were really close."

Finn sighed.

"We were, until I ran away. I had to leave Lima immediately otherwise I would be put in foster care. She got really angry - understandably so - and started insulting the hell out of me. I haven't spoken to her since. It's been more than a month."

George felt really bad for Finn.

"So where are you? Are you homeless again?" he asked. Finn laughed.

"Actually, I'm not!" He said, happily. George was confused.

"Huh? Did you manage to get an apartment or something?" George asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nah, man. I got a job that provided accommodation for me."

George was confused. Suddenly, he thought of something. It explained why he had practically no contact with Finn. And why Santana was so angry at him.

"Finn… you… you didn't join the military, did you?" He asked, cautiously. Finn laughed and George relaxed a little.

"God, no! You couldn't pay me to do that."

"OK, good. So where are you?" George asked again. Finn was lying on one of the resort's deckchairs, and he panned the camera so George could see his surroundings. The sun was starting to set, and the blazing fireball was streaking through the dark sky, ripping a hole through it like paper. George gasped. It was one of the most beautiful views he had ever seen.

"I'm in Hawaii." Finn added, unnecessarily. George nodded.

"So, are you like living on the streets or something?" He asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nah, I'm in a suite of one of the biggest resorts in Hawaii. I've been hired as a performer for the hotel. All I have to do is perform 2 hours in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 2 in the evening, and I can do whatever the hell I want for the rest of the time. Because I'm living in the resort, I have access to all the gyms, restaurants and bars free of charge. Not a bad life huh?" Finn said, taking a sip from his strawberry daiquiri. George wolf-whistled.

"Yeah I'll say." He remarked, jealously.

"Yup, music, booze and hot girls in bikinis. I kinda like this place. It's great. It's great. It's great. I mean I miss you guys, but it's great." Finn commented and George laughed.

"One more and I might actually believe you." He pointed out. Finn sighed. They caught up for a couple of minutes before Finn had to go perform his evening performance. George hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief, but then was a little bit sad. Despite the fact that Finn said that he was happy, George knew that deep-down, Finn wasn't happy. He clearly missed his old life, but George didn't know how he could help.


	28. Chapter 28

"And the winner is… Vocal Adrenaline!"

After a dreadful showing by New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline were crowned National champions for the record 7th year in a row. The New Directions were severely lacking in the male vocals section once again and Rachel wasn't performing at 100% either - Jessie's plan of hurting Rachel right before the big performance had worked perfectly. He raised the trophy for Vocal Adrenaline and then smirked at Rachel. She was close to tears after this dickish gesture. Mercedes put a comforting arm around her friend but deep down, she was just as sad as Rachel. They had failed. They made it so far, only to lose. What made it even worse was that if they had either Finn or Jessie, they could easily have taken Nationals.

Finn was a big question mark over their lives. He had only been part of the Glee club for 6 months, and then he had vanished off the face of the earth. No matter how many times they tried to contact him, he never answered. It was like he was a ghost. They didn't even know if he was still alive. After all, if he was homeless, there was a small chance that something had happened and he had died or been arrested. Santana in particular wasn't too great. During her friendship with Finn, Santana's personality had started to change quite a bit. Both Finn and Brittany were able to break through the bitchy personality she portrayed on the outside, and her kind interior was exposed. However, when Finn left, the wall had been built right back up, and she was sarcastic, cynical and overall, not too nice of a person. She was lucky that Brittany loved her so much and didn't break up with her for that reason.

"Hey George! Get in here for a moment! I need to talk to you about something!" Mrs. Shelley called from the living room. George slowly put down his guitar and walked downstairs, confused. It was almost 11 pm. Usually, at this point, his mom would have just come home from work and was kicking back in front of the TV.

"Hey mom, what's up?" He asked. His mom had an unreadable expression on her face.

"Um… George… I found out where the company is transferring Liam and his family, Harry and his family, as well as you and I."

George took a deep breath. This was it. The place where he would be spending senior year.

"OK, where is it? Is it in Canada? The U.S? Somewhere completely different?" He asked, nervously.

"It's in the U.S. You know the place actually. It's Lima, Ohio. You know, where Finn and Carole used to live."

George smiled widely, and his mom noticed.

"What? You seem very happy." She commented. George nodded.

"Yeah, I am. Don't get me wrong: I love it here. But I feel like that if we're living in Lima, I might actually be able to get Finn to come back."

Mrs. Shelley nodded. She knew how close the two guys were. She then realised something: she hadn't actually asked her son if he found out where Finn was. She knew that George didn't have any luck during his trip to Lima, but she also knew that there was no way that George had stopped his search there.

"Did you end up finding where Finn was?" She asked. George nodded.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, he's actually in Hawaii. He got a job as a singer for one of the big resorts there. He gets a free hotel suite, free food, drinks, and resort amenities. But I know he's not happy. I could hear it in his tone. He clearly misses being a child, and going to high school. So I was wondering, if I can convince him to come back to Lima, could he live with us? It's not like he has anywhere else to go."

Mrs. Shelley nodded.

"Of course. He can stay as long as he wants. He's like family."

George smiled and hugged his mom. He had a new determined look on his face. He now had a plan to try and get Finn back.

**3 months Later**

Everyone's summers weren't going too great. It was the summer before senior year, so people were starting to think about college applications. Rachel and Kurt obviously wanted to be in New York to help boost their chances of making it on Broadway; Mercedes wanted to be in L.A; Brittany wanted to be at any university that would possibly accept her. The others weren't too sure: they didn't yet know what they wanted to do after high school.

Two weeks before Senior year began, Rachel was sitting in her bedroom, looking thoroughly through college pamphlets from Julliard and NYADA. She had read pretty much every comparison of the two elite music colleges, and still wasn't any closer to deciding on which one to go to when she got in. Of course she would get in. There was no other option. One aspect of Rachel's summer that made it decent was that she started dating someone. His name was Brody Westen, and he went to the same singing school as her. He was a Carmel High student and was a member of Vocal Adrenaline in his freshman year, but quit when he saw how bad people they truly were. Rachel was obviously apprehensive about going into another relationship after what happened between her and Jessie, but Brody seemed like a genuinely nice guy. And he had even survived a dinner with her and her dads and hadn't run screaming for the hills. He also wanted to be on Broadway, so they could possibly stay together during college. Suddenly, simultaneously, the whole New Directions received a text message.

_**Everyone! Emergency Glee meeting! Meet at the Choir Room! I have great news!** _

_**From:** _

_**Mr. Schuester** _

The whole Glee club was confused. The only person depressing enough to call a Glee meeting in the middle of the summer was Rachel. Mr. Schuester never called Glee meetings during the summer, so whatever he needed to say must have been important. The Glee club all made their way to McKinley for the first time since summer started. The school was a ghost town as there was still two weeks of summer left. The only people who roamed the halls were janitors and cleaners. And even them were few and far between. They all made it to the choir room at around the same time, and Mr. Schue sat them all down, a huge smile on his face.

"Hey guys, how have your summers been?" He asked. "Have you guys been relaxing?"

"Cut the crap, Mr. Schue. Why are we here?" Santana asked, annoyed. Mr. Schue sighed, but his good mood didn't waver.

"Um… ok. So, we, the New Directions, have our first gig in a different state!"

Everyone cheered and clapped their hands excitedly. Rachel and Kurt jumped up and hugged each other. Mercedes started chattering into Tina's ear.

"Where are we going?" Mercedes asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"We are going to… wait for it… Hawaii! The owner of a big resort there saw us perform in Nationals, and he wants us to perform in his resort for 3 days. It's an all expenses paid trip: everything from the flight, resort room costs, food and drink is all paid for by the resort, so let's make it worth their money!"

Everyone high-fived and hugged each other. They were over the moon. After a very rough couple of months, a trip to Hawaii was exactly what they needed. Rachel turned to Mr. Schue.

"What's the name of the resort?" She asked, curiously. She was going to research the crap out of the resort later that night, so she needed the name.

"Um… let me see." Mr. Schue said, pulling out his phone. He scrolled for a couple seconds before answering.

"It is… Dreams, Riviera, Honolulu."


	29. Chapter 29

_And I miss the way you make me feel, it's real_

_We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill!_

Finn finished singing Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran, and then took his 5 minute break. It was a sweltering hot summer day. Everyone on the beach was granted the blissful shade of palm trees or umbrellas, but unfortunately Finn wasn't. He was sweating bullets as it was almost mid-day. At least he had the next three days off. Apparently, the owner of the hotel was bringing a guest performer in for 3 days so Finn got three paid vacation days. He just had to finish the rest of today without getting heatstroke.

"I can't believe we're here!" Rachel cried, clapping her hands together as the Glee club entered the resort.

"WE'RE IN HAWAII BABY!" Puck shouted, eyeing one of the ladies who was walking by. She, like most of the ladies on the resort, was dressed extremely skimpily. Mr. Schue noticed his student and rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Puck. When you're done being creepy, let's go to our rooms. We have been given 2 large adjacent rooms so girls in one, boys in the other."

A server suddenly appeared next to them.

"Sirs, madams, can I offer you a refreshing mojito? Or something else maybe? It's a pretty hot day and we don't want our performers to get dehydrated. Our full-time performer said that it's really hot on stage." He said.

"Yes, I'd love a mojito, thank you." Sam said, smirking. Mr. Schue sighed.

"No, he wouldn't. He's underage. We're good for now. But would you please be able to show us where our rooms are?"

"Sure. Let's go!" He said. They all cheered and followed the bellhop through the resort. Along the way, the man pointed out the various restaurants, swimming pools, beaches and other amenities that the New Directions would be able to use for the next 3 days. They finally reached the luxurious accommodation building, where they were led into the elevator. As they ascended to the fourth floor, the man showed them the different places they could go to within the building.

"So the ground floor is the lobby." He said. "And the basement contains an indoor swimming pool. The first floor contains the business lounge and the games room. The third, fourth and 5th floor are the regular rooms. The 6th floor is all of the VIP suites, so please don't disturb that floor."

Suddenly, the elevator 'ding'ed and the doors opened to reveal the third floor. The New Directions were hopping around in excitement. The bellhop led them through the hallway until they reached rooms 316 and 317, two rooms that were directly opposite each other. Mr. Schue unlocked the doors and the teenagers raced in like little kids, and dived on the beds. In each room, there were 2 beds, a sofa, an armchair, and a floor mattress for them to sleep on.

"Wow, this place is amazing!" Mercedes squealed. Everyone agreed with her. Even Mr. Schue was in shock. They were in a 5 star resort for the next few days, and with all-expenses-paid.

"OK guys. Listen up. Why don't all of you change into your swim stuff and we can explore the resort, maybe swim in the pool or beach?" He suggested. They all nodded and, less than 15 minutes later, they were all in their swim stuff and were rearing to go. The guys were all wearing swim trunks and a t- shirt; Santana, Brittany and Quinn were wearing extremely skimpy bikinis under cover ups; the other girls were wearing more modest beachwear. They all went downstairs and started walking around the resort.

"Wow." Mike said, for what must have been the one hundredth time. They walked towards the huge swimming pool and the beach behind it when they started hearing faint singing.

_You walked into the room and now my heart has been stolen_

_You took me back in time to when I was unbroken_

_Now you're all I want_

_And I knew it from the very first moment_

_'Cause a light came on when I heard that song and I want you to sing it again_

Finn had started to incorporate piano accompaniments into his playing. The resort had a keyboard on stage, and they had also bought Finn a keyboard and put it in his suite so he would be able to practise. Finn had also started writing his own songs with piano accompaniments rather than guitar. The song he was singing - Can I Be Him - was one of the songs he had written with a gentle accompaniment.

_I swear that every word you sing, you wrote them for me_

_Like it was a private show, I know you never saw me_

_When the lights come on and I'm on my own_

_Will you be there to sing it again?_

_Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories_

_Can I be him?_

_I heard there was someone but I know he don't deserve you_

_If you were mine I'd never let anyone hurt you, no, no_

_I wanna dry those tears, kiss those lips_

_It's all that I've been thinking about_

_'Cause a light came on when I heard that song and I want you to sing it again_

"That singer sounds familiar. Is it like a celebrity or something?" Rachel asked, as they walked down the pathway towards the beach.

"Yeah, I know right?! He sounds so familiar." Tina commented.

_I swear that every word you sing, you wrote them for me_

_Like it was a private show, but I know you never saw me_

_When the lights come on and I'm on my own_

_Will you be there to sing it again?_

_Could I be the one you talk about in all your stories?_

_Can I be the one_

_Can I be the one_

_Can I be the one_

_Oh, can I, can I be him?_

"OH MY GOD! THAT'S…" Quinn started, but her voice trailed off. Finn was sitting there, alive and well, singing and playing the piano. That's why the voice was so familiar! When Santana saw Finn, her face paled, and she felt Brittany's hand slip into hers and squeeze it comfortingly. Santana hadn't seen or heard from Finn in ⅓ of a year. It had been a literal hell not knowing f he was alive, if he was homeless, where in the world he was. But he was sitting not even 20 meters away, slightly tanned and sunburnt but otherwise completely unharmed. Luckily, Finn hadn't noticed them yet.

_Won't you sing it again?_

_Oh, when you sing it again_

_Can I be him?_

_Oh, sing it again, yeah_

_Oh, when you sing it again_

_Can I be him?_

As Finn led into the final chorus of the song, he noticed a large group of people walk into the vicinity. He squinted his eyes to try and see what they looked like. They couldn't have been adults. They must be teenagers, Finn thought. There were 6 girls and 5 boys, he thought. Suddenly, the sun came out from behind a close and it shone on the faces of the group. Finn almost passed out and stopped singing altogether. It was the New Directions. The group of people he wanted to see least in the world. He had managed 4 months without speaking to them, but that was clearly about to come to an end.

"Maybe they didn't see me?" Finn told himself. Suddenly, Brittany raised a hand and waved. Fuck, they definitely saw him! He forced himself to finish the song.

_I swear that every word you sang, you wrote 'em for me_

_Like it was a private show, but I know you never saw me_

_When the lights come on and I'm on my own_

_Will you be there, will you be there?_

_Can I be the one you talk about in all your stories_

_Can I be him?_

_Can I be him?_

_Can I be him?_

_Can I be him?_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[James Arthur - Can I Be Him Live Acoustic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JbSkivgBH8)

After he finished the song, and thus ending his set, the people lying in the deckchairs applauded and cheered. The ladies in particular loved it when he sang love ballads.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! Have a good evening!" Finn announced into the microphone, and he descended the stage. A million different options ran through his head as he walked off stage. He could try and leg it back to his room - it might work but wouldn't be feasible if the New Directions were staying for longer than one night. He walked slowly to the bar, where he was quickly approached by the Glee club.

"One Guinness beer please." He asked the bartender and the man passed him an ice cold bottle of beer. Finn sipped from it gratefully. The sun was only just starting to set so it was still scorching. But more importantly, he needed the alcohol to get through what was to come. The New Directions finally made it to where he was sitting. Santana trailed to the back of the group as they all practically ran towards Finn.

"Hey guys." He said, nodding at them and sipping his beer. They looked at him, strangely.

"That's it? We don't see or hear from you for 4 months and all you have to say is 'hey guys?'" Rachel exclaimed. Finn shrugged.

"What do you want me to say? I didn't have a choice. I had to run - it was my only option. I made a new life for myself here."

"That doesn't explain why you didn't call anyone." Quinn pointed out

Finn looked right at Santana when he replied.

"My phone broke a couple of months ago. I bought a new one recently and I didn't have anyone's number."

Mercedes scoffed.

"You really expect us to believe that?" She asked.

"I really don't care if you believe me or not." Finn said tiredly. "I got this job 3 months ago, and when my phone first broke, I was homeless so didn't have the money to replace it."

Santana raised an eyebrow. She knew that he was lying. He had called her from a different phone before, meaning that he had memorised her number. And Finn was the most resourceful person she knew: if he wanted to make contact, he would have found a way to.

"So what exactly do you do here?" Mr. Schue asked, curiously.

"I'm the resort's singer. I perform for a couple of hours a day, and in return, I get paid a fair amount. I also get free accommodation in one of the 6th floor suites, free food, free drinks and free access to all of the resort's amenities."

Puck wolf-whistled.

"Damn. That's not too bad at all. I wish I had that job. Just drinking and hooking up with hot girls all the time." He said. Finn rolled his eyes.

"You make me sound like some kind of man-whore. Kinda like you really." He remarked and everyone laughed. "But I work for a living. I have to spend time learning songs, because I can't just play the same songs every day. I only really have like 3 hours to chill every day."

"Finn, come back to Lima." Rachel blurted out. "We got absolutely destroyed in Nationals. We need you in the Glee club."

Finn sighed and shook his head.

"Sorry, but I can't. I've got a pretty sweet gig here. I get practically everything free. I don't pay rent. This is a great opportunity for me to earn some money."

"So you want to stay in Hawaii for the rest of your life?" Quinn asked.

"No, but I can save money for me to be able to afford an education."

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Well, that's very responsible of you Finn, but don't you miss high school? You already missed half of junior year as it is, do you really want to miss your senior year?"

Finn sighed.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be in high school. But I need the money. Sometimes we do things because we have to do them, even if we don't want to, right? Also, staying here actually gives me a place to live and gives me health insurance. If I went back to Lima, I'd have neither of those."

"Bro, you could live in one of our places." Mike said. "And you could probably get a football scholarship for college."

Finn smiled but shook his head again.

"Thanks man, but I think I'm gonna stay here. I'd be stupid to take the risk, in case it doesn't pan out. The last thing I want is to be homeless again. I'm sorry."


	30. Chapter 30

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… all the way from Lima, Ohio… the New Directions." Finn said into the microphone, and the New Directions walked on stage for their performance. Finn walked away and sat down on one of the deck chairs. He wasn't working that day, so he just sat and watched their performance.

_I'm so glad you made time to see me_

_How's life, tell me how's your family?_

_I haven't seen them in a while_

_You've been good, busier then ever_

_We small talk, work and the weather_

_Your guard is up and I know why_

_Because the last time you saw me_

_Is still burned in the back of your mind_

_You gave me roses and I left them there to die_

_So this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

_I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right_

_I go back to December all the time_

_These days I haven't been sleeping_

_Staying up playing back myself leaving_

_When your birthday passed and I didn't call_

_And I think about summer, all the beautiful times_

_I watched you laughing from the passenger side_

_And realized I'd loved you in the fall_

_And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind_

_You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye_

_So this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

_I'd go back to December turn around and change my own mind_

_I go back to December all the time_

_I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right_

_And how you held me in your arms that September night_

_The first time you ever saw me cry_

_Maybe this is wishful thinking_

_Probably mindless dreaming_

_But if we loved again I swear I'd love you right_

_I'd go back in time and change it but I can't_

_So if the chain is on your door, I understand_

_But this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

_I'd go back to December turn around and make it alright_

_I'd go back to December turn around and change my own mind_

_I go back to December all the time all the time_

Finn noticed that the New Directions' performance was very female-centric. Puck, Sam, Mike and Artie were merely back up singers to the girls. He took a sip from his mojito and watched the performance. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he missed them. And he missed competing - whether it be in football or Glee. In Hawaii, Finn felt like he was trapped in some kind of bubble: he needed to reintegrate back into society. Also, Mike was right. Getting into college next year on a football scholarship was probably his best chance of going to college alone. But he would be losing too much by going back. He would have to rent a motel room for a year - costing him an exorbitant sum - as he didn't really want to stay with them. Who would he stay with? The guy who was the father of the baby that Finn was told was his, or the people who knew about it but didn't want to tell Finn, in fear of him not performing well during Sectionals. And Santana hadn't even made eye contact with him: she was clearly still pissed. But Finn was also angry. As hard as it might have been for her, it was guaranteed harder for Finn. When would she realise that he didn't want to leave, but he had to! If it were up to Finn, his mom would still be alive, and Finn was back in Lima. But you can't always get what you want! Mr. Schue's words from the auditorium right before Sectionals echoed back into his head. Mr. Schue told him that he had to be the bigger man, and Finn had done so time and time. But at this point, he was done. If Santana wanted to be angry, she could be angry. He was not going to lose sleep over it.

Finn took a quick nap on one of the deckchairs and he woke up just as New Directions finished their performance and walked off stage. Finn spotted Santana at the back of the group. She looked at him briefly, but he avoided eye contact. He got up off his deckchair as he was starting to sunburn, and he walked towards his suite. As he was getting into the elevator, someone called from down the corridor.

"Hold the door please!" They called, and Finn's blood ran cold. It was the absolute last person in the world he wanted to be trapped in an elevator with, even for the mere seconds that it took for them to make it. He held the door open and heard the sound of flip flops running towards him. As Santana turned the corner into the elevator, her eyes widened when she saw who was there.

"I can get the next lift." She said, starting to walk backwards.

"Just shut up and get in the lift." Finn said, rolling her eyes. She sighed and walked back into the elevator. She pressed the button for the 3rd floor and Finn pressed the one for the 7th. The elevator started rising and stopped on the 3rd floor. They didn't speak during the short ride and when the door opened, she started to get out when Finn held her arm back.

"Look, I know how much we both hate this, but should we talk? We're clearly pissed at each other, and we need to confront each other about it, or it's never going to go away. It's just gonna get worse."

Santana closed her eyes. She was about to have a conversation she had been dreading for the past 4 months.

"Fine, should we talk in my room?" She asked. Finn shook his head.

"Just come to mine. It's got more privacy, and we won't be overheard by one of the nosy Glee gossips."

Santana laughed briefly, and then she realised what was happening, and the tight scowl reappeared on her face. The lift started moving again, and it brought them to the 7th floor. When they stepped out, Santana wolf-whistled.

"Wow, this floor is a lot fancier than the 3rd." She pointed out. She was right. The corridors were carpeted with a long, rich persian carpet, and the air smelled faintly like lavenders. On the third, the corridor smelt like a combination of sunscreen and chlorine. They walked down the hall to Finn's room, which was situated at the far corner of the floor. Finn unlocked the door and they stepped inside. Santana's jaw dropped. Finn had a really nice place! It contained a living room with a TV, Keyboard, guitar, playstation, sofa and armchair; a bedroom with a king size bed and another TV; a large bathroom with a bathtub, shower, sink and toilet; and finally, a terrace with two chairs and a table.

"Wow, nice place." She commented. Finn nodded.

"Thanks. Let's talk on the terrace." He suggested. She nodded, and they walked through the living room, and through the bedroom to make it on the terrace. While they were walking through the bedroom, something caught Santana's eye. There were a couple of framed photos on Finn's nightstand. As far as she could tell, they were the only part of Finn's room that he had actually personalized. She walked over to them. There were 5 framed photos: the first was of Finn and Carole; the second was of Finn and a boy she remembered as George from the funeral. George had tried to call her about 3 months ago, looking for Finn. Santana, who was still extremely angry at Finn, hung up in George's face - she felt slightly bad about that as she knew that George had no idea what happened between Finn and Santana and George was just caring about his friend. The third photo was of Finn, George and two other boys who Santana also recognised from the funeral. The fourth was of Finn and the New Directions during Regionals; and the fifth photo was of Finn and Santana in Six Flags. They had gone shortly after Santana had been cast out by her parents - Finn thought that she needed a distraction, so he took her out for a really fun day in the theme park. They rode the Mighty Monster - the biggest roller coaster in the park - and they both looked really queasy during the in-ride picture. Finn had decided to purchase two copies of the photo at the gift stand - one for him and one for Santana. Although she would never admit it, she still had her copy of the photo. She stashed it deep down in her cupboard after Finn ran away - she didn't want to look at it, but she didn't have the heart to throw it out.

"You still have this?" She asked in disbelief. Finn turned around and saw what she was holding. He nodded.

"Yeah, those pictures are literally the only connection that I had with the people I left."

"You weren't lying about the phone excuse, were you?" She realised. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I got jumped by a gang one night. my phone was broken during the fight. It was only when I started working in this hotel that I was able to buy a new phone. I was able to transport the SIM card, but I lost all of my old phone's data."

"Finn… I… I'm really sorry. I thought you were avoiding everyone."

"That's fine. That's not what I care about. What I care about is, after everything that happened, you actually thought that I cared so little about you that I would want to leave without saying goodbye! And you have the fucking nerve to call me a coward and a bitch?!" Finn started to raise his voice.

"You should have come to say goodbye. You couldn't have taken 5 fucking minutes out of your busy schedule?!" She matched his voice's volume and stood up. Finn stood his ground and stood up as well.

"You think I wanted any of this? You think I wanted my mom to have been murdered? Me to have to be homeless for a month, being jumped by gangs? Having to leave the friends I love so much, right before Nationals? Having to end my high school life to try and earn minimal amounts of money? NO! I didn't. But life isn't all fairies and rainbows!"

"You don't think I know that?" She shouted back. "You don't think _**I**_ know that? I'm a teenage, lesbian, Latina. I'm in practically every single minority. I get insulted, verbally abused, segregated and treated differently for no reason but my sexuality, my gender or my heritage! I know what hardship feels like!"

"Don't you dare compare my situation to yours." Finn growled in a low, menacing voice. "My mom hanged herself when I was 7; my dad was extremely physically and emotionally abusive, to the extent that I actually ran away from home at age 7! Let me tell you, Santana, it's not easy being a 7 year old homeless kid. I earn 20 dollars from some sympathetic passer-byer and 5 minutes later, it's been ripped away from me by a huge, homeless adult with a knife. I had no bed to come home to, no school to go to. I had to steal fucking clothes and textbooks to educate and dress myself!" Finn was starting to yell again, and Santana knew better than to interrupt him. "It was a literal hell for 7 fucking years! And then I was put into foster care, which was even worse! It was basically 200 of the homeless people in the city all under one roof. There were gangs of 18 years olds who would prey on the younger kids - stealing from them, beating them up, shaving their heads, and sometimes even sexually assaulting them! I somehow managed to survive that, and I was adopted by Carole. I finally got a normal 2 years of my life - but I suffered from severe PTSD and mental health issues. I was in therapy for 2 years. Then, I moved to Lima and joined the Glee club, where I was screwed up and duped out of 15,000 dollars by eleven people who were willing to let me throw my life away, just for a good Sectionals performance. Then, a couple of months later, my mom was murdered, and I was forced to run away from home and was homeless for a month. I wasn't able to speak to my best friends, and I knew that they thought that I betrayed them. Then, I finally caught a lucky break and got this job. I've been to hell and back at least three times, so don't you dare even think about saying that what you've been through is even close to mine."

Finn panted for breath after his outburst, and Santana's jaw dropped. She never really considered how much Finn's been through. She was really just thinking about herself. But her life wasn't perfect either - Finn was making it seem like she had a really privileged life. But she didn't.

"Look, I'm really sorry about everything you've been through, but I have been through stuff as well. My parents fucking cast me out after I told them my sexuality!"

"I know that! And where did you go? MY HOUSE FOR TWO MONTHS! And your mom took you back! Mine is fucking gone! Carole's never coming back! And you call me a bitch? Hell no! I'm not standing for that! Get the fuck out of my room." He spat. Santana nodded,

"With pleasure." She snarled and stormed out. Finn collapsed on his bed. He was angrier at Santana than ever: she had the gall to call him a coward and a bitch. He didn't want friends like her, and he was unlikely to return to the Glee club - as much as he missed singing in the Glee club, he didn't want to be around people like her. It would take some miracle for him to return. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was his miracle.


	31. Chapter 31

The next day, Finn avoided speaking to anyone in the New Direction. He woke up at the crack of dawn and spent three hours throwing punches at the bag in the gym. He pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion, trying to forget about what had happened the day before. After his workout, he went back up to his room, showered, and went down to the breakfast buffet. At this point, it was 8:30 am and the New Directions were only just starting to get up. Santana groaned as she got up off the floor. There wasn't enough space in the room for the 7 of them on the two beds (Kurt stayed with the girls), so Brittany, Santana and Mercedes slept on the floor. But the pain in her back with nothing compared the burning hole inside.

"Damn it. We need a bigger room!" Mercedes complained, stretching her legs. Santana and Brittany nodded.

"Yeah, and it's not like the 7th floor with the suites is full. There are quite a few empty rooms."

"When have you been to the 7th floor?" Puck asked from the doorway. Santana sighed.

"Yesterday. Me and Finn were having a long overdue fight, and we went up to his room for it. He has 2 fucking huge rooms in his suite. He could have volunteered to take in the guys, and then the girls could spread out over these rooms!"

"Why would he do that? He doesn't owe us anything." Mike remarked, reasonably.

"Because that's what you do for people." Santana grumbled. Mike laughed.

"Trust me Santana, if you and Finn weren't throwing punches, he would definitely let us stay in his room. So you can't really complain." Mike pointed out and everyone nodded. Santana curled her hand into a first, ready to punch the asian kid, when she felt Brittany's hand gently slip into her's. She looked at the blonde, who was shaking her head. Instead, Santana stormed out of the room in tears, Brittany close behind her.

"Seriously, Mike?" Brittany glared at him as she followed her girlfriend out of the room.

A couple of hours later, the New Directions were having some fun on the beach. The guys were getting destroyed by the girls in a game of beach volleyball. Without Finn, the guys' team had no height, and Santana, Quinn and Brittany - as cheerleaders - had much higher jumps than the guys. Finn was at the bar - he wasn't working, so was already on his third drink. It helped take the edge off and numb the immense pain he was feeling. Suddenly, someone walked up and sat next to him. Finn turned to see Mr. Schue smiling sympathetically at him.

"Hey, Mr. Schue." Finn said, nodding at the man and then going back to his drink.

"Hey, Finn. How are you doing?" He asked. Finn looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Um… why are you looking at me like I have cancer?"

"I'm not! I… um… I… Ok, fine. I heard about your little spat with Santana." He admitted. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"She told you about it?" Finn asked. He was surprised. He didn't think Santana would talk to anyone about it, least of all to Mr. Schue.

"No… I heard the two of you fighting on your room's terrace. I was on my room's balcony, 4 floors lower."

Finn blushed.

"Yeah, so you know what I've been through, and why I'm not gonna take crap from her."

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Yes, I do, and I'm really sorry about everything that you've been through. No child should have to go through what you went through. But just know, if you ever want to come back to New Directions, the door's always open. We all miss you, Finn, and god knows we need you. After you left, the New Directions just crumbled. There was absolutely zero morale, and then when we finally got a new male lead, Jessie St. James…"

"Wait, the Vocal Adrenaline guy?" Finn cut in, confused. Mr. Schue nodded.

"Yeah, he started dating Rachel and then joined New Directions. A couple of days before Nationals, he quit and dumped Rachel. It ruined our chances at Nationals. We had no male lead, and our female lead wasn't firing on all cylinders. We got creamed. And we needed a leader. Whether you like it or not, you were our leader, and our peacekeeper."

Finn chuckled.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue. But I don't think I'm going to come back. There's only one reason I'd consider coming back, but it would be a miracle."

Suddenly, his phone rang and Finn looked at it and laughed.

"Ha, looks like the miracle is calling me. Please give me a second." He said, and picked up the phone.

"Hey George, what's up?" He said.

"FINN! FINN! FINN! FINN! Come back to Lima!" George shouted into the phone. Finn sighed.

"Not you too! Please, just don't." Finn said, tiredly.

"No! You don't understand! Liam, Harry and I are moving to Lima. Our families are being transferred there for work. You can come live with my mom and I!"

Finn almost dropped his phone.

"Are you playing with me?" He asked, assuming that George was joking around.

"No! I swear I'm not. If I am, you have my permission to hit me 3 times between the legs with a baseball bat."

Finn raised an eyebrow. George really wasn't kidding around.

"Wait, so you're really not kidding?" Finn remarked.

"OF COURSE NOT! So, come on, Finn! Come with us! You can rejoin the New Directions. I know you miss them. And we'll also finally have me, you, Liam and Harry all in the same city again!"

Finn laughed.

"Dude, are you sure?" Finn said, still unsure. "Like I don't want to be an imposition or anything."

"Nah, that's BS. Of course you're not an imposition. We'd love for you to come. Isn't that right, mom?" He asked his mom, who was sitting next to him as he called Finn.

"Hey Finn!" She called. Finn laughed.

"Hey, Mrs. S. How's it going?"

"Pretty good. And we'd love to have you. We all miss you!"

"Are you sure?" Finn asked again, still slightly unsure.

"Yes, we are! Now stop stalling and tell us! Are you coming or not!"

"I mean if you're sure…" Finn said.

"Is that a yes?" George shouted, excitedly. Finn nodded.

"Thank you so much. I don't even know what to say." Finn murmured. "Well, I should probably go quit my job now."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Would you like us to book you a flight? There's one tomorrow if that works." Mrs. Shelly asked. Finn shook his head.

"It's fine. If you guys are going to put me up for the next year, the least I can do is pay for my own flight. I have quite a bit of money saved from my job, because I didn't have to pay for food or accommodation. I'll try and find a flight in the next few days."

"OK, we'll see you soon!"

"Bye guys, thank you so much again!" He said, and hung up the phone. His face broke out into a huge smile. He was going back to Lima! And George, Harry and Liam were coming too! He walked back to Mr. Schue, who was still at the bar.

"You look happy." Mr. Schue commented. Finn nodded.

"I am, because I'm leaving Hawaii. I'm coming back to Lima for senior year."

Mr. Schue's mouth dropped.

"You… you're what?" He asked, shocked. Finn smiled.

"I'm coming back. My 3 closest friends are being transferred to Lima for senior year because of their parents' jobs, and one of them offered to let me stay with them for the year."

Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"You do realise that if accommodation was the only reason you hesitated in coming back, I feel like any of the guys would've been willing to put you up."

Finn sighed and shrugged.

"Look, don't get me wrong, I love the New Directions, but there's not one person in that group that I would even consider asking. The person I'm staying with is like a brother to me. We've been through a lot together - I would put my life on the line without even blinking to save his. And I did. We were walking in Toronto one day when a group of guys with weapons tried to jump us. I got lightly stabbed while I was fighting them off. And the same is true the opposite way around. He literally flew into Lima during Christmas break after he heard about what happened with Quinn and the baby. And when my mom died, he was there for me as soon as he heard. He even stayed for a week or so after the funeral. I would follow this guy through the gates of hell, and I know that he would do the same for me."

"Well, I look forward to meeting this kid. He sounds like a great guy. Is he a good singer? We need male voices for the Glee club if we want to take Nationals."

"Yeah, he is. He sang at my mom's funeral. And I think you've met him actually. His name's George. Brown hair. Kind of scruffy looking."

Mr. Schue nodded and smiled.

"Oh yeah! He came looking for you in Lima 3 months ago when you went AWOL. He seems like a really nice guy. And I remember your performance with him and the two other guys. I don't mean to be insensitive as I know it was your mom's funeral, but that was an incredible performance. All four of your voices blended together beautifully."

"Yeah, actually, the two other guys are also transferring to Lima. Their names are Liam and Harry."

Mr. Schue's eyes widened.

"Well do you think that the three of them would consider joining New Direction?"

"They will. And even if they want to, I'm sure I can annoy them into joining. Anyways, I gotta go quit my job now. I'm flying to Lima sometime in the next few days."

He nodded.

"Well, see you soon, I guess." Mr. Schue said, and Finn nodded and walked away. Mr. Schue smiled to himself. They had Nationals in the bag, especially with four more strong male vocalists. He practically ran to the resort lobby, where the New Directions were hanging out.

"Guys, guys, guys!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly. Everyone turned towards him.

"What's up, Mr. Schue?" Mercedes asked, sipping her soda.

"Finn's coming back next year!" He shouted. Everyone jumped up.

"You serious?" Puck shouted, and Mr. Schue nodded. "YES! We'll have a good football team again!"

"Screw the football team, we'll have a good Glee club again!" Quinn cried.

"Wait, where's he staying?" Mike asked. "Does he need to stay with one of us?"

Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No, apparently, his three closest friends are transferring to Lima, so he's staying with one of them. Do you guys remember the three guys who sang with Finn at his mom's funeral?"

Everyone nodded.

"They were really good singers." Rachel remarked.

"Yeah, they should join New Directions!" Tina said.

"Well, Finn said he'll convince them to join. Think about it guys, we'll have a 15 person show choir, with equal talent in the male category and the female one. Vocal Adrenaline won't know what hit them!"

Artie scoffed.

"You kidding? With Finn and those three guys, the dudes' vocals will blow the ladies' vocals right out of the water!"

Rachel laughed.

"You've got to be kidding me?" She said, and started to babble on about how the females were better than the males. Santana tuned her out. Her breath and heart rate started to increase. Finn was coming back. They weren't even on speaking terms, but she would have to deal with seeing him every day. Deep down, she felt horrible about everything, but she knew that Finn wouldn't accept an apology, so she forced herself to believe that she was right. She didn't know what was going to happen during the next year; she just knew that it was going to be hell…

Meanwhile, Finn knocked on the door of his boss - Mr. Streizburg's - office.

"Come on in!" He heard the man shout through the closed door, and Finn took a deep breath and walked in.

It was the second time he had been in the boss's office - the first was to sign the four month contract. It was a pretty basic room. It was lit by natural light and it contained a sofa in the back of the room, and two chairs with a desk in between them in the center of the room. Mr. Streizburg looked up and smiled at him when he walked in.

"Aah! Mr. Hudson. I've been expecting you. You've been a great employee for the hotel, and we would like to offer you a two year deal. Let's get down to details, shall we?"

Finn's four month contract with the resort had just expired the day before, and Finn was due to sign a new one in the coming days, which is why he didn't have to give a 2 weeks notice for quitting.

"Actually, Mr. Streizburg, I don't think I'll be signing another contract."

Mr. Streizburg's head shot up, and he looked at Finn, surprised.

"You… you're not?"

"No, I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I love working here. But I want to go back to high school. I want a life outside the resort. I want a proper career, in a big city, like New York, or L.A. And I just don't think I could get that performing in the resort for 6 hours a day."

"I understand. And I know that, whatever you do with your life, you're going to a great job. You've been a model employee - you're talented, you work hard, you never complain."

"Thank you, sir. For everything. You saved me from homelessness for the past 4 months. I'll always treasure this place, and I'll recommend the resort to everyone I know! I'll be packed up as soon as possible, and I'll be on my way."

Mr. Strezburg chuckled.

"Thanks, son. And good luck in the future."

Finn nodded and walked out of the room. His quitting went better than he thought it would. And now, he had only one destination… Lima, Ohio.


	32. Chapter 32

"FINN! Over here!"

Finn turned the corner at the Arrivals section of Lima airport, to see George, Harry and Liam standing there, waving wildly at him. Finn grinned and walked over to them.

"Hey guys!" He said, cheerfully. "When did you get here?"

"2 weeks ago." Liam and Harry said simultaneously.

"A month ago." George said. Finn nodded.

"Have you guys toured the city?" Finn asked.

"What is there to see? This place is a dump." He commented. Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I felt that way too when I first moved here. But you get used to it. And anyways, I guarantee that you won't get bored. There's way more drama here than Toronto."

"This coming from the guy who was robbed of 15,000 bucks and almost became a father at age 17. Yeah, we definitely trust your reliability." Harry remarked. The four boys walked out of the airport together, and into George's car. They all drove to George's house to spend the evening catching up. They talked long into the night, despite the fact that they had their first day of school the next day so needed to be up early. Finally, at almost 3 am, Liam and Harry went home, and George showed Finn to his new room. When they arrived, Finn turned to his friend.

"Dude, I don't even know what to say. Thank you so so much for this."

George shrugged.

"It's nothing, man. I know you'd do the same for me."

Across the city, Santana was having trouble sleeping. She would be seeing Finn again the next day and she was scared of another fight. Would he lash out again. Or, would he just ignore her and not speak to her. The second one was arguably worse as, even though Santana would never admit it, she wanted Finn in her life.

The next morning, Finn was roughly awakened by George flickering the lights on and off.

"FINN! FINN! FINN! GET UP! GET UP!"

Finn groaned and slowly opened his eyes. George was already fully-dressed, and was glaring at him to wake up. Finn rolled over and looked at the time on the alarm clock: it displayed 6:00. Finn grumbled once again.

"How can you be awake this early?" He complained into his pillow.

"Because it's the first day of senior year! We're seniors now!"

"You seem way more excited than I am." Finn commented as he slowly got out of bed.

"Well you've always been kind of dumb, haven't you?"

Finn hit him on the shoulder and then got ready for school. He showered and put on a tattered hoodie and jeans, before joining George and his for breakfast.

"Hey Finn, here, have some pancakes." She gave him a plate of two blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, which he accepted gratefully.

"Thanks Mrs. S." He said, biting into the delectable pancakes.

"No problem, Finn." She replied. "So, are you boys gonna try out for any sports teams?"

"I mean, I'm gonna probably play football. I was quarterback last year, and we did pretty well." Finn said. George nodded.

"Yeah, I might play football too."

George was Finn's wide receiver back in Toronto, and they had a pretty good partnership. George was a crazy-fast runner, who had great hand-eye coordination from years of ice hockey - so they were both pretty good at football. Finn grinned at his friend.

"Yeah, let's go! Gonna bring back the old insane team, are we?"

"You're damn right we are!" George replied and fistbumped Finn. Mrs. Shelly smiled at their encounter. Finn and George were so close and comfortable with each other that they were all but brothers. Finn was basically a part of their family.

Mr. Schue was nervous but excited for this year of Glee. It was his last chance to go for Nationals with the current crop of students. With the talent that they had this year, it was probably their best chance of winning. Suddenly, the door swung open and the eleven existing New Directions students walked into the auditorium. Mr. Schue smiled at them.

"Hey guys, how was the last week of the summer? You guys relax after Hawaii?"

"No! Of course not! I needed to start preparing for Sectionals!" Rachel cried, offended. Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Where's Finn?" Puck asked, completely ignoring Rachel's outburst. Mr. Schue shrugged.

"I don't know. Him and his friends should be here any minute now." Mr. Schue replied, and, as if on cue, the door of the auditorium swung open once again, and Finn, George, Liam and Harry walked in. Finn smiled at the Glee club.

"Hey guys, these are my friends: George, Harry and Liam." He said, pointing to the three guys. "You might have met them at my mom's funeral, you might not have, I don't."

"Hey there boys. Welcome to the New Directions. We're really happy to have you here. And Finn, welcome back."

Finn nodded.

"Thanks Mr. Schue. So do we have to audition or can we just be in? You already heard us sing during my mom's funeral."

"Nope. You gotta sing for us!" Tina exclaimed.

"It's easy. Just sing as a group like me, San and Britt did." Quinn said. Finn nodded and the 4 boys walked on stage. Finn and the three other guys agreed on a song, and Finn quickly told the band what song to back them up for. They nodded and Finn grabbed his mic and stood in between Liam and Harry.

_**Liam:** _

_When you try your best, but you don't succeed_

_When you get what you want, but not what you need_

_**All:** _

_When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep_

_**Harry and George:** _

_Stuck in reverse_

_**Finn:** _

_When the tears comes stream and down your face_

_When you lose something you can't replace_

_**All:** _

_When you love someone, but it goes to waste_

_**Finn:** _

_Could it be worse?_

_**Finn:** _

_Lights will guide you home_

_And ignite your bones_

_And I will try... to fix you._

_**Finn:** _

_Tears stream down on your face_

_**George, Harry and Liam:** _

_(Tears stream)_

_**Finn:** _

_When you lose something you cannot replace_

_Tears stream down (tears streaming) on your face and I ..._

_Ooh Ooh_

_**All:** _

_Lights will guide you home (guide you home)_

_And ignite (igni-i-i-i-te) your bones_

_And I will try... (I will try) to fix you._

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Union J - Fix You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArzVwsPFMDQ)

The four guys' rendition of Fix You by Coldplay was hauntingly gorgeous. The four boys sang so well together - sure Finn was the lead vocalist, but they all played their respective parts in the group. Mr. Schue smiled to himself. He knew that during Sectionals, Regionals and Nationals, the women in the audience in particular would love these guys. They were young, attractive and undeniably good singers. He clapped with the rest of the Gle club when the boys finished singing.

"Well done, you guys. That was incredible. You absolutely killed that Coldplay song! Welcome to the New Directions!"

The guys smiled and sat down next to Puck, Mike, Sam and Artie. George, Liam and Harry were welcomed into the Glee club family immediately. That was the beauty of the Glee club - it didn't matter where you came from, all that mattered was that they all loved singing.

"OK, would anyone else like to perform?" He asked. Rachel stood up.

"Yes, I would like to perform On My Own by Le Mis." She said, and started to walk towards the stage, when Mr. Schue stopped her.

"Hold on a second, Rach. There's been a new rule implemented by the National Show Choir Committee. We are not allowed to perform any songs from musicals in Sectionals, Regionals and Nationals. So, unfortunately, you will not be able to perform any of your Broadway ballads anymore."

"What? That's bullshit!" Rachel shouted and everyone gasped. Rachel NEVER swore! Mr. Schue shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. But I don't make the rules. And anyways, think of the bright side: you'll expand your repertoire in time for college next year."

"Yeah, maybe someone else will finally get to solo!" Mercedes added. Rachel scowled at her and stormed out of the room.

"Wow. Who crapped in her cheerios?" George remarked and everyone snickered.

"Don't mind her. She has… temper problems. When something doesn't go her way, she tends to get a little… overemotional." Quinn explained to George. As soon as he had walked into the room, Quinn had immediately felt a funny feeling inside. She felt drawn to him - a feeling she hadn't felt with anyone. Not even Finn. Sure she had seen George before (she had seen him during Finn's mom's funeral), but she never really studied his looks very much. He was lightly toned - not as built as Finn, but stronger than Puck for sure. He had piercing, hazel eyes and had an adorable smile. Moreover, his singing was beautiful. Quinn didn't know much about him, but she wanted to know more.

After Glee rehearsal, Finn, George, Liam and Harry all left the auditorium together. They were walking over to the lockers to gather their books for the first class, when suddenly, George felt a cold feeling was over him. Literally. One of the football jocks - Karofsky - had just dumped his ice-cold slushie over George's head.

"Welcome to McKinley, Biatch!" He shouted, shoving George into one of the lockers. George, Harry and Liam were shocked. What the hell just happened? Finn then realised that he hadn't warned the guys about this. He felt bad, not for George, but for what was about to happen to Karofsky. Sure enough, a moment later, Liam and Harry - who were both similar in size to Finn - threw Karofsky up against one of the lockers.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Liam growled, lifting Karofsky in the air by the scruff of his shirt and judo-flipping him to the ground. They had gathered a crowd by this point. Nobody had ever stood up against Karofsky before - other than Finn. Finn remembered the consequences of what happened to him after fighting Karofsky, so he quickly dragged Liam away.

"Dude, don't! Trust me!" Finn whispered to Liam. George was still immobile in shock.

"But, he…" Liam snarled, angrily gesturing from a motionless George, to a retreating Karofsky.

"Dude, you don't want to pick that fight. I did, and it didn't end well. I'll tell you later." He said, letting go of his friend. At least Liam hadn't done any damage to Karofsky that would bring his dad into it.

The rest of the Glee club were watching the whole exchange from the safety of the other side of the corridor. They were amused.

"Ooh, looks like Finn and his boys are fighting back." Mercedes commented.

"I'm worried. What if what happened last year with Karofsky, happens again this year. We can't afford to have anyone banned if we want to take Nationals." Mr. Schue said, worried.

"I don't know. All I know is that this year is going to be interesting…" Mike said, watching as the four boys turned the corner at the end of the corridor, walking towards the guys' locker room for football trials. By the time they finally drove home, Finn was, once again, the Quarterback and captain of the football team; George was one of the new wide receivers; and Liam and Harry were both Linebackers. They drove him that day, happy.

"Hey, Finn. Why didn't you let me fight that guy? You and I both know that I could have taken him." Liam asked, as Finn parked the car in George's garage. The guys were spending the afternoon together. They planned to play a game of shinny hockey that night on a nearby street. Finn sighed.

"Dude, I know that you could have taken him. But you couldn't have taken on his dad if his son was put in the hospital. Trust me, I tried, and I failed. I had to resort to blackmail."

George clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Ooh, I smell an interesting story." He exclaimed, and they all laughed. Finn nodded.

"OK, story time! Listen up, kids! So do you remember the latina cheerleader and the tall blonde cheerleader from Glee club?"

"You mean Santana and Brittany?" George asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, so they both came out during junior year, and started dating. Some of the jocks weren't happy about this. They hate anyone going against the status quo, and two female cheerleaders dating definitely went against it. Then, to rub salt into the wound, the girls prioritized Glee club over Cheerleading. The jocks were really pissed at this point. They wanted to send a message. 8 of them cornered Santana and Brittany in an alley behind the school. Karofsky even had a knife."

Everyone's jaw dropped.

"Let me guess: you were a dumbass and joined the fight, rather than looking for help?" Harry guessed

Finn laughed.

"Something like that. I fought off the 8 guys, and I completely mangled Karofsky's arm. I had to! He was waving a knife at me and my friends! He lightly stabbed me too. Yeah, so I fought them off, and Karofsky had to go to hospital to fix his arm. His dad was really pissed! And one thing you need to know about Karofsky is that his family has a lot of money. And money means power."

The other guys started to piece together a story.

"I think I see where this is going." Liam remarked.

"Yeah, so because of Karofsky's family's money, he managed to corrupt Principal Figgins, and make him think that his son's injury was my fault. I was banned from both football and Glee. I was hella pissed. So I did something I'm not proud of. You can't tell ANYONE this? You understand?" Finn demanded. They nodded, curious about what was about to happen.

"I was really angry, but more importantly, I need a way back onto the football team and Glee club. Both teams needed me and neither team could win without me. So I kinda hacked Mr. Karofsky's social media and phone, revealing a LOT of adultery, some of which was with girls under 18. I blackmailed him into letting me back on both teams. I could be arrested for that."

The guys were silent. They knew Finn was a mystery, but they loved him anyways.

"Hey dude, that's so badass. And anyways, the ends justify the means, don't they."

Finn laughed and nodded.

"I guess. But still don't tell anyone!" He said.

"Your secret's safe with us." They reassured him, and Finn relaxed. He was so happy. He was with his four best friends, in his favourite high school, competing in Glee club and football with them. His life had gotten so much better, and he intended on keeping it that way. However, all good things come to an end, and he would learn that really soon…


	33. Chapter 33

The next month flew by for Finn. He was having the time of his life, playing football and singing in Glee club alongside his three closest friends. The stars had truly aligned in his life - everything was going surprisingly well. Him and George walked into Glee club one day, and everyone was already there. Mr. Schue was already standing at the front of the room, and George and Finn took their seats.

"Hey everybody. New assignment this week! We are going to be doing duets. I have put you all in duet pairings, as I want you guys to be working with someone you've never sung with before. So, without further ado, when I call your names, sit next to your partner. Understand?"

Everyone nodded, and Mr. Schue started to read names off a sheet of paper.

"So… first of all. George and Quinn."

Quinn smiled to herself and sat next to George. They had gotten pretty close of the past few weeks, and were probably going to get together in the near future.

"Next… Rachel and Mike."

That made sense. The worst singer paired with one of the best. Although Rachel would normally be mad about being paired with a bad singer, she was relatively happy. Because despite how utterly pathetic Mike might be as a singer, he made up for in personality. He was a really nice guy, and him and Tina had been dating for now over a year. Mr. Schue kept on reading names, and Finn waited for his own.

"Harry and Kurt."

"Mercedes and Liam."

"Brittany and Sam."

"Puck and Tina."

Finn's face dropped. Artie was out sick for the week, leaving just one person Finn could be with. Mr. Schue had clearly made it this way, and Finn was NOT happy. Looking across at her, Finn could tell that she knew it too. Sure enough, Mr. Schue announced the final duet pairing.

"Finn and Santana."

Finn put his face in his hands, and the whole Glee club started mumbling excitedly. Santana didn't look too excited about this arrangement either.

"Mr. Schue! You've gotta be kidding!" She spat. Finn agreed.

"Yeah, and besides, we've already sang together some time last year." Finn added. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"Sorry guys. Decisions are final. You will all perform later this week. Good luck!"

Santana stormed out of the room, with tears in her eyes. George put a hand on Finn's shoulder. He had a huge grin on his face as he was very happy about working with Quinn.

"Tough break, man." He said, the smile still painted wide on his face.

"You seem happy." Finn pointed out. "You gonna ask her out?"

George shrugged.

"I don't know, man. Is that OK?"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you asking me? I'm not your mom." He remarked. George rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, Finn. I'm also aware of what she did to you, and if it makes you uncomfortable or angry for us to be dating, I'm not gonna do it. After all, bros before…"

"STOP!" Finn exclaimed, holding a hand up, laughing. "Yeah, dude, all I care about is that you're happy. So if dating her makes you happy, then go right ahead. But just be careful. I wouldn't want what happened to me to happen to you too."

George smiled at his friend.

"Thanks, Finn. I…"

Suddenly, George was cut off when a 'BANG!' echoed from the corridor. Finn's blood ran cold. He knew exactly what the sound was. Everyone jumped up to their feet. They were confused: they didn't know what was going on. Suddenly, a second BANG! Spurred Mr. Schue into motion.

"EVERYBODY, SPREAD OUT AND HIDE! SPREAD OUT AND HIDE! FIND A PLACE TO HIDE!" He shouted. Finn helped Mr. Schue barricade the door with the piano, and cover the windows with blinds. Everyone hid in various hiding places around the room. Finn cut the lights, so the whole room was in darkness. Mr. Schue stood up.

"Everyone!" He whispered. "Start texting, tweeting, let everyone know what's going on. But don't tell them we're here! Shooters have smartphones too. We're all just going to stay here, okay? We've got nowhere to be, we don't know what's out there. I love you guys."

Most people were hiding with their respective boyfriend/girlfriend: George was comforting Quinn, who was sobbing silently; Mike was with Tina; Mercedes was with Sam; Brittany was with Sa… Wait! Where was Santana? Then, Finn remembered. She had stormed out of the room moments before the gunshots. She could be dead by now. Finn turned to Mr. Schue.

"Mr. Schue! Santana!" He whispered, fiercely. Mr. Schue looked around and his eyes widened.

"Oh my god!"

"Well, what do we do? She could be dead by now. I want to go find her. She doesn't have her phone on her" Finn decided, starting to get up, but Mr. Schue roughly pulled him back down.

"FINN! NO! Sit down! You won't be helping anyone by leaving right now. You'll just be exposing our location to the shooter, and putting all of our lives at risk. You want to help? Go sit with Brittany. She looks like she needs a friend right now."

Finn sighed, and crawled over to Brittany, who was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Hey, Britt. You OK?" He asked, putting an arm around her comfortingly. She sniffed and shook her head.

"San… she's…" Brittany couldn't get out a whole sentence without collapsing back into sobs. Finn didn't know what to do.

"Don't worry. She's gonna be fine. Nobody's gonna touch her. And even if they do, she's gonna go all Lima Heights on their asses. She's gonna be fine." He whispered. Brittany didn't believe him, and frankly, neither did he. How was he supposed to say that when she could be bleeding out right this second? Finn quickly scampered back to where Mr. Schue was sitting.

"I'm going." Finn said, simply. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"Finn… I…"

"I'm going, and I'm gonna give you two choices. Choice one is that you let me go, and you take care of the rest of the Glee club. Choice two is I knock you out and go anyways, leaving you unconscious and no help to anyone."

Mr. Schue could tell from Finn's eyes that he was being serious. He sighed.

"Finn, I know I can't stop you. But just know, you're putting everyone's life in danger. Look at them. Look at them." He said, pointing around the room to the petrified New Directions students. Finn saw their faces, and how scared they were, and he very nearly sat back down. He then thought about Santana, and how wherever she was, she was probably ten times more scared as she was alone. He took a deep breath.

"I'm the reason Santana left the room. If she dies, the blood will be on my hands. So I'm going. Even if I have to go through you."

Mr. Schue slowly nodded and stepped back. Finn turned to Kurt.

"Kurt, give me your scarf." He asked, pointing to the scarf around Kurt's neck. Kurt shook his head.

"Um… no. This is a Marc Jacobs scarf. It's expensive!" He exclaimed. Finn rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"Look, I'll replace it if I damage it. Just give me the damn scarf!" He demanded, and Kurt reluctantly took off his scarf, and gave it to Finn. Finn took it, and made his way out the door. Every step he took could be his last, but he didn't care. All that he cared about was finding Santana.

When Santana heard the gunshots, she was sitting on the bleachers outside, sobbing her eyes out. She couldn't believe her luck. Of course she would have to work with Finn! Karma really was a bitch. Suddenly, two gunshots rang out from next to the school gates, and Santana's stomach lurched. She stealthily climbed to the top of the bleachers so that she was looking over the school entrance, and she spied one man with a machine gun, dressed fully in black, complete with a ski mask. Her heart was stampeding like a herd of buffalos. Why didn't she just stay with the rest of the Glee club? They were probably all in the choir room together. She needed to get to them! Santana sprinted away from the field and the bleachers and she tiptoed into the school building from the fire exit.

She walked past a lot of classrooms, trying to open the doors to each one. Of course, all of the doors were already locked, and they just assumed that she was hostile so they wouldn't open the door for her. She started to panic even more as she tried every door on the first floor with no success. She then tiptoed up to the second floor - the floor that the choir room was on - and tried to open every door on that floor - with no success. Santana was on the verge of a breakdown at this point! She may well die in the next hour, and she had so many regrets. She would never get to see Brittany again. Or Finn. She would never be at peace if her lasts words ever said to Finn were in a fight. They actually hadn't spoken since the debacle in Hawaii, despite how terrible Santana felt. She quickened her search. She was three turns away from making it to the choir room door when suddenly, she heard a gun cock from behind her and a voice, clear as day, spoke.

"I suggest you shut up and freeze. That is, unless you want your insides scattered all over the tiles…"

Finn took off his shoes just before he left the choir room, effectively helping him stay silent as he tiptoed through the empty school. It was eerily quiet - all the doors were locked and bolted, and not a single person spoke. Finn realised something. If the doors were locked, there was a very slim chance Santana made it into a classroom! She might still be in the hallways! He kept moving, gripping Kurt's scarf tightly. He approached a bend in the corridor and he cautiously peaked around the corner, weary of the armed shooter that was roaming the halls. When he looked around, his heart stopped, cold. There was a girl on her knees, her back to the shooters, in an execution pose. And it wasn't just any girl. It was Santana!

Finn's heart started pounding like a bongo drum. He could only watch as the man lifted a gun to the back of Santana's head. She was crying and sobbing, too afraid to even scream. Finn knew he had to do something, but what? He probably had a mere second before the man pulled the trigger. Not long enough to reach the man and tackle him. And if he tried to shout to distract the man, there was no telling that the shooter wouldn't just shoot Santana and then turn to Finn. Finn suddenly noticed the man's gun. It wasn't a typical pistol like many of these men used. It was a Desert Eagle - a semi-automatic gun with a huge recoil. If Finn managed to make the man miss the first shot, it would buy Finn enough time to take him down. Finn came to a decision. It wasn't ideal, but he had to do it. And this way, he might actually escape hell and see his mom again in heaven.

"Damn it, Santana." Finn muttered as he hurled himself at, not the shooter, but at Santana, tackling her over. At that moment, he heard a BANG and vaguely felt something pierce his side, but the adrenaline helped him carry on. As soon as the first shot had been fired, Finn lunged at the man, wrapping Kurt's scarf around the shooter's gun hand, isolating it, and then shattering the bones of his arm against Finn's knee. The gun fell limply from the shooter's hand, and Finn immediately punted it far down the corridor. Finally it was an even fight! Finn grabbed the man by his shirt collar and threw him face first into a locker with such force that Finn and Santana heard the faint crunch of a broken nose. But Finn wasn't done yet. He needed to make sure that the man couldn't somehow escape, so he stomped on the man's knee - dislocating it - and then tied the man's hands behind his back with the scarf. Finn finally stepped back and the adrenaline rush that had been fueling him to that point, faded away, leaving him with a searing pain in his stomach. Finn took off his jacket and saw the side of his white shirt transformed a horrifying crimson color. He had been hit, and it didn't look good.

Santana felt like she was in a nightmare, and she was going to wake up any minute now. But as soon as she saw Finn coughing up blood and bleeding out, she forced herself out of her immobile state.

"FINN!" She screamed and ran over to him. "No, no, no, no, you're not dying on me!"

She shoved Finn's jacket roughly on the wound and Finn groaned in pain, coughing up even more blood. Her having a gun pointed at her was nothing compared to the fear she felt watching her best friend bleeding out all over the tiles floor, having taken a bullet that was meant for her.

"Finn, please, stay with me. I'm so sorry for everything. Please, get up. GOD DAMN IT, GET UP, FINN!" She yelled through her sobs. Thankfully, the SWAT team chose that moment to storm the building. They were extremely surprised to see the criminal tied up with 2 limbs broken, but the paramedics immediately swung into action. Finn was in unspeakable pain. It was like being stabbed a thousand times by a blunt spoon. There were no words that even came close to describing the pain he was in. The closest word he could think of was 'red'. Despite how hard he tried to fight it, he could feel himself being sucked into a vortex. Finally, he couldn't hold on any longer. He faded to black. Next stop: the afterlife…


	34. Chapter 34

Finn awoke in a white room. Well, it was actually just big, concrete bricks painted white. He felt strange; sluggish and slow and dizzy and everything else. He blinked a couple of times to try and clear some of the haze out of his eyes, then slowly turned his head to the side to see where exactly he was. For some reason, his brain wasn't acting as quickly as it normally did. Was anyone else here with him?

"Am I dead? Is this heaven?" He mumbled without preamble. If he was, he was definitely going to suggest a much more pleasant welcome into the afterlife; a bed in a white concrete room wasn't cutting it for him, and he was usually pretty relaxed about that kind of stuff.

"FINN!" He heard someone exclaim. He looked up and groaned in pain. It hurt to even move his head. George and Santana were sitting in the corner of the room, and jumped up when they heard his voice.

"Oh god. I'm in hell?" He grumbled, jokingly. George snickered, but Santana's face dropped. She clearly thought he was still angry at her, and she was close to tears. Finn read her facial expression.

"Santana, I'm kidding." He laughed. Santana's face went from sadness, to relief, to annoyance.

"Screw you, Finn." She cried, throwing her arms around him. He groaned in pain as she made contact with his injury, and she jumped back.

"I'm so sorry. It's my fault you're here." She murmured. Finn shrugged.

"It's fine. Wounds heal." He said, simply. She shook her head.

"I'm not just talking about the injury. I'm talking about before as well. It was really selfish of me. I didn't realise how much you were going through."

Finn smiled and nodded at her.

"It's fine." He said, again. "I'm here now. And I'm alive. That's all that matters."

"Dude, you scared the crap out of us. We thought you were gonna die." George said. Finn shook his head.

"I was never gonna die. There are more people for me to piss off."

The two other teenagers laughed, and suddenly, someone else walked into the room.

"Ah, I see someone is awake finally." A pleasant female voice came from the doorway. He lifted his head up slightly and saw an elderly lady furiously writing something on a clipboard chart.

"Um… where am I?" He asked.

The elderly lady laughed a bit, which highlighted the laugh lines along her face, and then shook her head. "You're in the St. Margaret's Hospital Surgical Recovery Room. And you came pretty close to dying on us. The bullet hit your side, narrowly missing any major organs which was god. But you lost a lot of blood when you made it to the hospital . You didn't have an exit wound so we had to extract the bullet, and then patch you up. I'm not gonna lie, it was very close. If you had arrived at the hospital three minutes later, you wouldn't be sitting here right now."

Finn groaned and let his head fall back into the pillow behind him, a touch of nausea coming to him as his side flared in pain when he shifted himself. "Fuck, this hurts."

The nurse shook her head and retrieved a needle from the table beside him. "Language, my young friend. Never a need for that word."

"Bet you've never been shot, have you?" Finn grumbled. George snickered, but Santana and the nurse glared at him. The nurse had complete control over his well-being though, so he kept his other thoughts to himself.

He watched as she approached with the needle, but then (much to his relief) she suddenly turned towards his I.V. and used that line for the injection. "I thought, given your size, we'd need a stronger dosage than normal. Let's see if Demerol can take care of your discomfort, shall we?"

Finn nodded a bit, then settled back down and anxiously waited for the painkiller to work. He had been given Demerol once before - when his father threw him through the glass table - and it had worked wonders for him. Finn turned to Santana and George, who were still sitting in the two seats at the side of the room. Both of them clearly hadn't slept, eaten or showered in ages. George's shirt was untucked and creased, his eyes were sunken, and he had more bags under his eyelids than in every supermarket in the States. Santana looked even worse than George. Her hair was a mess, her makeup had run due to her tears, and she looked even more tired than George did. Seeing them in this state made Finn feel really bad for them. He knew from experience that seeing a loved one injured or dead hurt just as much, if not more.

"You guys should go home and get some rest." Finn told them. Santana shook her head.

"Hell, no. There's no way we're leaving." Santana snapped. Finn sighed.

"Come on, guys. No offense, I love you both, but you kinda look like crap." He said. George chuckled.

"Gee thanks. You're not really at your hottest either, are you buddy?" George replied. Finn laughed and a piercing pain ripped through his side. The drugs didn't do much to help. Santana immediately went into overprotective mode.

"George, you gotta either shut up or leave. You're hurting Finn." Santana growled at George. George rolled his eyes.

"OK, Sorry MOM." He remarked. Santana and George locked eyes in a fierce stare-off. Eventually, Santana gave in and George stayed.

The next 3 days were the longest of Finn's life. He was forced to stay in the hospital by the nurses, as they needed to keep watch for wound infections. George and Santana both had to go to school during the day, so Finn had literally nothing to do during that time. Apparently, Finn was also mildly concussed from when he hit his head after tackling Santana, so he wasn't able to sing or listen to loud noises for the next week. All Finn could do was sit like a potato in his hospital room. He couldn't even play on his phone as the bright screen would be bad for his concussion. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but was really just 72 hours, Finn was discharged from the hospital. It was one of the happiest moments of his life. He had just walked away from a shooting unscathed. George drove him home that afternoon, and Finn collapsed on his bed almost immediately. Despite the face that he had done practically nothing but sleep during the past 3 days, he was suddenly very tired.

The next morning, Finn woke up bright and early, and he and George drove to school for morning Glee rehearsal. Finn would be able to sing and play guitar, but he would have to give it another week before he'd go back to football, as although he was healed, his wound was still pretty tender and he didn't want the stitches to open. They would fall out on their own in the next week, and at that point, he would be able to play contact sports again. When Finn walked into Glee that day, he was given an amazing welcome. Mike and Puck were holding a large 'Welcome Back!" banner, Kurt was holding a sparkler, and everyone cheered as he walked into the room.

"Hey guys! Wow, I… uh… I don't know what to say. Thank you, all of you. And thanks for all of your get well soon cards and chocolates. I probably gained like 20 pounds!"

While Finn was in the hospital, everyone in the Glee club, as well as a couple of the guys from the football team gave him 'Get Well Soon' cards, and they gave him numerous boxes of chocolates too.

"Well, Finn, we're all really glad you're here. When you left the choir room that day, we genuinely thought that we wouldn't see you again."

Finn laughed.

"Wow. You clearly had a lot of faith in me." He commented. Mr. Schue shrugged and smiled and shrugged.

"I'll be honest… I didn't."

Finn put on a face of mock-hurt.

"You know, I was shot, I bled out, I coughed up blood. I almost died. But that really hurt, Mr. Schue." He joked and Mr. Schue rolled his eyes.

"Well, what do you expect? You were going up against someone with a gun!"

"Not my first time." He mumbled, quietly. Those nights with his drunk father were only too memorable. Mr. Schue raised his eyebrow.

"Um… okay? Well, sit down. We have work to do. Sectionals are coming up and we need to work hard."

And just like that, Finn was back in the New Directions, and when they started working, it was like nothing had ever happened. But then, as Rachel was babbling incoherently, something about 'Sectionals' and 'solos', Santana smiled at him. At that moment, Finn knew that he didn't regret what happened at all. He had finally made up with Santana, and their friendship was stronger than ever. He was in a great place now. His life was happier than it had been since… well ever. Although he still sometimes cried at night thinking about Carole, Finn knew that he was surrounded by people that loved him.


	35. Chapter 35

"Finn, you need a girlfriend." George announced randomly before Glee rehearsal. Him, George and Harry were chilling out in the choir room, waiting for the rest of the Glee club to show up. Finn was strumming aimlessly on his guitar, singing some nonsense lyrics along with it. Finn sighed at George's comment.

"Yeah, I'm good thank you." He replied.

"Come on!" George begged. "You've gotta date someone! It's senior year of High School! Like, for example, who are you going to take to prom?"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"OK, first of all, prom is closer to the end of the year than the beginning. And second, not to brag or anything, but I get like 50 Cheerios flirting with me every week. I'm the star quarterback, the Glee club male lead, and I've got a million-dollar face. Who could say no to that?"

George knew that Finn was joking around, and both him and Harry laughed.

"Hahaha." He said, rolling his eyes. "But seriously! I'm with Quinn, Kurt's with Blaine, Mike's with Tina, Santana's with Brittany, Rachel's with Brody, Mercedes is with Sam. You're the only old New Directions member who isn't dating anyone. That has to change."

"He's right, you know." A voice said from behind him. Finn spun around to see Puck standing there.

"Hey man." He said, turning back around.

"Come on, dude!" Puck said. "I can hook you up with literally any Cheerio. They all want to be with you. It's like taking candy from a baby!"

Finn rolled his eyes.

"Thanks but no thanks. I don't want to date some brain-dead cheerleader."

"Hey!" A voice exclaimed from the corner of the room. Finn turned around to see Santana now walking into the room.

"Sorry, San." He said, apologetically. She shrugged.

"I mean you're not wrong. A lot of the Cheerios are of below average intelligence. And I agree with Finn: you shouldn't have to date an idiot cheerleader."

Finn grinned.

"Thank you, Santana." He exclaimed, turning back to the guys.

"But you do have to date someone." She continued. Finn turned to glare at her. "Oh come on, Finn. I know so many girls that want to meet you! And not just Cheerios, others do. I've really talked you up to them."

Finn sighed.

"Again, I'm good. In case you don't remember, my last relationship didn't end too well. You know, with her duping me out of 15,000 dollars."

"Yeah, sorry about that, again."

Finn spun around. Quinn walked through the door at that moment. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? Did you guys plan this or something?" He wondered. George shook his head.

"No, but we all agree. You. Need. To. Date. Someone." Harry exclaimed. Finally, Mr. Schue, along with the rest of the Glee club, walked in.

"Guys, let's get started!"

Finn sighed in relief.

"Thank god. Saved by the bell. I'm gonna run to the bathroom." He muttered into George's ear. George shook his head.

"This conversation is NOT over." He replied and Finn sighed and left the room.

"Guess what guys? We actually have someone else auditioning!" Mr Schue exclaimed.

Everyone looked up in surprise.

"Who? Who is so monumentally stupid that they're actually auditoning for Glee club?" Puck asked out loud. Rachel scowled at him. In her opinion, Glee was the most important thing in the world, after Broadway of course. Mr. Schue smiled.

"I don't know who she is. She's new. She came from Canada as well. She's a junior. Her name is Bella."

"Our luck with Canadian new kids has been pretty good so far. We hit the jackpot with the four guys this year. Hopefully, it'll be the same again." Mike commented. They all nodded and suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Ah, this should be her. Guys, please make her feel welcome. She's new to the city."

Mr. Schue then opened the door, and a girl walked in…

"Hi everyone. My name is Bella Sutton. I came here from Canada. I love singing, and I don't know anyone in Lima so Principal Figgins suggested that I join the Glee club."

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Welcome to the New Directions, Bella. Why doesn't everyone go around and say their name?"

Rachel went first.

"Hey, I'm Rachel. I'm the leader of the Glee club." She said proudly. Mercedes raised an eyebrow.

"Whoa, who made you leader?" She asked.

"Just because it was self-appointed doesn't mean that it's not true." Rachel replied, matter-of-factly.

"Whatever, anyways, I'm Mercedes." She said, waving at Bella. Bella smiled at her.

"I'm Tina." Tina said, standing up.

"I'm Mike." The boy next to her said.

"I'm Puck." The boy with the mohawk said, smirking at her. Bella groaned. She had been hit on by plenty of guys before, and she hated the feeling.

"I'm Sam."

"I'm Kurt."

"I'm Artie."

"I'm Santana."

"I'm Brittany."

"I'm Quinn."

"I'm George."

"I'm Harry."

"I'm Liam."

At that moment, Finn walked back into the room. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Bella. She was quite possibly the most beautiful girl Finn had ever seen. She had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail. A few stray strands fell over her face, not enough to cover her eyes though. Her eyes were a gorgeous green-brown color, and she had a cute button nose. Her skin was fair colored, but not too pale that she looked like a vampire. Finn stood up a little straighter, and George noticed and smiled to himself. Finn might actually finally be getting out there.

"Hi… um… not to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Finn asked, confused. She laughed.

"Hi I'm Bella. I'm new to McKinley." She explained. Finn nodded.

"Oh, where did you come from? I'm Finn by the way." He said, shaking her hand. Both Bella and Finn felt sparks when their hands touched.

"Um… Canada." She replied quietly. Finn smiled.

"Really? Whereabouts in Canada?" He asked, curious. Other than George, Liam and Harry, Finn hadn't met anyone else from Canada since he arrived in Lima.

"Montreal. But I lived in Toronto for 2 years."

Finn nodded and sat down. Santana and George grinned at each other. Finn had never shown that much interest in a girl before - not even to Quinn. Despite Finn's attempted protests, Finn had only agreed to date Quinn for the popularity boost. Mr Schue walked to the front of the room.

"OK, let's get started! Bella, the way Glee normally works is that I set themes and you have to find a song that suits the theme and sing it. It could be a solo, duet or group performance, depending on what I tell you. All of this better prepares us for the National Show Choir Competition. We made it to Nationals and lost last year, so this year, because it's senior year for a lot of them, we want to win. Today, we're going to do our third annual boys vs girls mashup battle."

"You mean how every year, the girls have destroyed the guys?" Mercedes remarked, overconfidently. The boys rolled their eyes. Finn remembered the mash-off last year - it had been a lot of fun even though the girls had ended up winning in both sophomore and junior year. The boys were desperate for retribution and now, with Finn, George, Harry and Liam, they stood a good chance.

Puck then raised a hand.

"What's up, Puck?" He asked.

"Well, given that the boys have somehow lost in sophomore and junior year, there's clearly something wrong with your judging. So can you please bring in Ms. Pillbury and Coach Beiste to help judge so it's fair?"

The girls' faces dropped. They knew that their chance of winning was already slim because of the boys' new additions, and having three judges lessened their chances even more. The guys smiled. They knew that it was their year to win.

"Is there a theme, Mr. Schue?" Finn asked. Last year, the theme had been to sing songs that were traditionally sung by the opposite gender. Mr. Schue nodded.

"Yup. This year's theme is old school classics. That's all I'm going to say. Good luck."

The guys stayed in the choir room and the girls left to rehearse in the dance studio. The guys immediately started to discuss potential song ideas.

"How about Journey?" Harry suggested.

"Nah, we just did them for Regionals last year." Puck replied.

"What about New Kids on the Block?" Mike said. George shook his head.

"Nah, we're not eighty years old." He responded. Finn suddenly had an idea.

"Hold on a second. Mike might be onto something, not with New Kids on the Block, but with the idea of doing boy band songs. What about NSYNC?"

They all smiled.

"YES! And we can pair it with Backstreet Boys!" Artie exclaimed. The boys all cheered, and Mr. Schue watched them from his office. He had a feeling that the girls' reign as mashup champions was coming to an end.

Meanwhile, in the auditorium, the girls were getting to know Bella.

"You grew up in Canada? Wow, that must have been hard with the U.S right around the corner!" Mercedes exclaimed, jokingly. Bella sighed. She was used to Americans making jokes at Canada's expense, but that didn't take away the fact that she was proudly Canadian.

"What can I say? I'm from Montreal, born and raised. And Canada's so much better than the States!" She said. Everyone gasped.

"What are you saying? You guys are weird! You pronounce the word out, oot!"

Bella rolled her eyes.

"You guys are the world's leader in handgun violence, your healthcare system is bankrupt, and your country is deeply divided on almost every important issue."

There was a brief silence as the rest of them were trying to think of a comeback.

"Your cops are called Mounties." Santana said, weakly. Everyone laughed and went back to finding suitable songs for the mashup. Bella felt the urge to ask a question.

"Is Finn dating anyone?" She whispered quietly to Santana, who was sitting next to her. Santana smirked.

"Why? You got a thing for my boy, Finn?"

Bella blushed furiously.

"Oh my god, are you two dating? I'm so sorry! I didn't know! I just…"

"Dude, calm down!" Santana said. "I'm not dating Finn. I'm actually lesbian. I've been with Brittany for going on one year now. Finn's just my best friend. And no, he isn't dating anyone. He had some issues with Quinn last year that line of mentally messed him up, and he hasn't dated since."

Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Issues?" She asked, curiously. Santana sighed.

"Well, the reason that Quinn and Finn started dating is that Quinn got pregnant with Puck's baby, but Quinn didn't think that Puck would be a good father so she didn't tell him or anyone else that she was pregnant. Instead, she started dating Finn, who was new to McKinley, and after they slept together, Quinn told Finn that she was pregnant with HIS baby."

Bella gasped and put a hand over her mouth.

"That's horrible!" She exclaimed. Santana nodded.

"It gets worse." Santana mumbled. "After around 3 months of Quinn's pregnancy, everyone but Rachel and Finn had found out about Quinn's secret. Nobody told Rachel as we knew that she would tell Finn, as she had a thing for him back then. Inevitably, she found out and then told Finn. Finn got super pissed. He quit Glee, understandably, right before Sectionals. We were screwed without him, and we definitely couldn't have won without him. He decided to be the bigger person and carried us to our win during Sectionals. He then quit for like 2 months, and then after Christmas break, he came back."

Bella was horrified.

"And he's still friends with you guys?"

Santana nodded.

"Finn's a very forgiving person. After everything he's been through, he knows better than anyone that life is short."

"Yeah, I mean if I went through that, I don't even know what I'd do." She wondered aloud. Santana chuckled mirthlessly.

"I'm not going to say much more because I don't want to be gossiping Finn's life story, but I am going to say this: what happened with Quinn is just the tip of the iceberg in Finn's miserable backstory. He's by far the strongest person I know. If I went through a fraction of what he's been through, I would actually end my own life."

Both girls fell into an awkward silence.

"But you should definitely date him if he asks you out. He's the nicest guy I know. When my parents kicked me out of the house when I came out to them, I lived at Finn's place for almost 3 months. And he's also the star QB and the male Glee club lead so there's that."

Bella nodded. There was no doubt that Finn was attractive, and from Santana had said, a great guy too. And Bella hadn't felt sparks between her and a guy ever. Her previous boyfriends had all been jerks who only dated her because she was hot. Maybe this time could be different. Maybe this time she could find someone who cared about her as a person.


	36. Chapter 36

"Girls, you're up! Good luck." Mr. Schue announced from his seat in the auditorium. He was sitting alongside Coach Beiste and Ms. Pillsbury, who were co-judging with him. It was giving Finn flashbacks to the tournament the year before, in which he won. The girls cockily stode onto the stage. Finn smiled faintly as he watched Bella walk on stage. She was wearing a yellow sundress and was wearing minimal makeup. She had a natural look to her, and Finn found it very attractive. When the girls were in position, Rachel began her monologue…

"Thank you so much. We chose a selection of songs that speaks of the nation as a whole during these troubling times filled with economic uncertainty and unbridled social well being. Because if there's two things America needs right now, it's sunshine and optimism. Also angels."

Brad started playing the piano.

_Oh, remember those walls I built_

_Well baby they're tumbling down_

_They didn't even put up a fight_

_They didn't even make a sound_

_It's like I've been awakened_

_Every rule I had you breaking_

_It's the risk that I'm taking_

_I ain't never gonna shut you out_

_Everywhere I'm looking now_

_I'm surrounded by your embrace_

_Baby I can see your halo_

_You know you're my saving grace (I'm walking on sunshine)_

_You're everything I need and more (Whoa oh)_

_It's written all over your face (I'm walking on sunshine)_

_Baby I can feel your halo (Whoa oh)_

_And don't it feel good! Halo, halo, halo_

_I can see your halo, halo, halo_

_I can feel your halo, halo, halo (I'm walking on sunshine)_

_I can see your halo, halo, halo (Whoa)_

_And don't it feel good!_

_I used to think maybe you loved me, now baby I'm sure_

_And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door_

_Oh now now!_

_I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh!_

_I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh!_

_I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh oh!_

_And don't it feel good!_

_I can feel your halo, halo, halo_

_(Hey, alright now)_

_I can feel your halo, halo, I can see your_

_(Hey, oh yeah)_

_I can feel your halo, halo_

_(Hey, Halo)_

_I can feel your halo, halo_

_(Halo)_

_I can see your halo, halo_

_(Halo)_

_I can see your halo_

_Halo!_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Glee - Walking on Sunshine/Halo](youtube.com/watch?v=ydp4IzOHPRM)

The girls had chosen a mashup of 'Halo' and 'Walking on Sunshine' that, although energetic, didn't have the 'oomph' that was needed if they wanted to beat the boys. Their choreography was sub-par - they just danced around in their spots; and their singing wasn't perfect either. After the girls finished, the boys walked onto the stage. Finn nodded his head at Brad, who was in the lighting and sound booth, and at Finn's request, he suddenly cut the lights. As soon as he did so, the girls started murmuring, confused. The boys quickly got into position and a spotlight lit up the stage as the music began.

_Hey, Hey_

_Bye, Bye, Bye_

_Bye, Bye_

_Bye, Bye_

_Oh, Oh_

_I'm doin' this tonight,_

_You're probably gonna start a fight._

_I know this can't be right._

_Hey baby come on_

_I loved you endlessly,_

_When you weren't there for me._

_So now it's time to leave and make it alone_

_I know that I can't take no more_

_It ain't no lie_

_I wanna see you out that door_

_Baby, bye, bye, bye_

_You are my fire_

_The one desire_

_Believe when I say_

_I want it that way_

_Bye Bye_

_Don't wanna be a fool for you_

_Just another player in your game for two_

_You may hate me but it ain't no lie_

_Baby, bye, bye, bye..._

_Don't really wanna make it tough,_

_I just wanna tell you that I had enough._

_It might sound crazy_

_But it ain't no lie_

_Baby, bye, bye, bye_

_Tell me why_

_Ain't nothin' but a heartache_

_Tell me why_

_Ain't nothin' but a mistake_

_Tell me why_

_I never wanna hear you say_

_I want it that way_

_You are my fire_

_The one desire_

_You are_

_You are, you are, you are_

_Don't wanna hear you say_

_Ain't nothing but a heartache (Bye bye bye)_

_Ain't nothin' (Make it tough)_

_But it ain't no lie (Bye bye)_

_Bye bye_

_Don't wanna be a fool for you (You are my fire)_

_Just another player in your game for two (Tell me why)_

_You may hate me but it ain't no lie (I want it that way)_

_Baby, bye, bye, bye_

_Bye Bye_

_Don't really wanna make it tough (My one desire)_

_I just wanna tell you that I had enough_

_Don't wanna be a fool for you (Tell me why)_

_Just another player in your game for two (Tell me why)_

_You may hate me but it ain't no lie (I want it that way)_

_Baby, bye, bye, bye_

_Bye, bye, bye, bye…_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Glee - Bye Bye Bye/I Want it That Way](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReqZ4CF7eq4)

The boys poured everything they had into their performance. Their singing was spot-on, their choreography was out of this world, and their song choice was perfect. They picked two of the biggest boy bands of the 90s, and meshed their songs together perfectly. When Bella first met Finn the other day, she had immediately gotten a weird sense that they had met before, and when Finn sang, she realised where she had seen him before. But before she could say anything, Mr. Schue walked up to the front of the room.

"Wow. Well done everyone. That was incredible. So Ms. Pillbury, Coach Beiste and I are going to write our vote on our mini whiteboards. Then, we're going to flip them at the same time."

Everyone nodded and the judges wrote down their votes. The guys and the girls stood on opposite sides of the stage, waiting nervously for the result. The guys were 75% sure that they had won, but given that two of the judges were women, there was a chance that they voted for the girls for that reason. Finally, after what seemed like an excruciatingly long time, the judges flipped their boards.

BOYS

BOYS

BOYS

A unanimous and inaugural win for the boys! They all celebrated together and Rachel stormed out of the room. God, she could be dramatic sometimes! Bella was itching for the competition to end: she wanted to see if Finn was who she thought he was.

As soon as they were dismissed from Glee rehearsal, Bella approached Finn.

"Hey Bella, what's up?" He said, smiling at her. She took a deep breath. Finn noticed her uneasy mood.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned.

"Why did you change your name?" Bella blurted out. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" He asked, laughing. "What do you mean?"

Finn had learnt to keep a poker face whenever there was any mention of his old life. He didn't know who knew what, and the last person he expected to know something was the new girl.

"I mean how your name used to be Antoine." She said, matter-of-factly. Finn's face paled, and his mouth was instantly parched.

"How do you know that name?" He murmured.

"Let's talk somewhere quieter." She suggested. He nodded.

"So what exactly happened to you?" She asked. They were sitting in George's living room. Both George and his mom were out, so Finn and Bella had a chance to talk without being disturbed. Finn took a deep breath and tried to B.S his way through it.

"I grew up in an unsafe neighbourhood. Where we lived, there was a gang who had their headquarters right down the road. One day, I was walking home from school when I heard that they were storming the neighbourhood. I ran home to get my family to safety, and in the craziness, I was separated from my mom. I ran back to find her, and I made it back to the house, just as a man fired his gun."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"What?" Finn asked, confused. Bella giggled.

"Come on, dude. You've basically just humanized Bambi!" She exclaimed. Finn laughed and nodded.

"OK, fine. That's a lie. You want the truth?"

She nodded.

"Um… I was an only child for my whole life, but I actually had quite a few older siblings. I actually had 2 older siblings. They were twins, and were two years older than me. One day, a week after I was born, a man broke into our house. He knocked my dad out, and killed my mom."

Finn took a shaky breath for dramatic effect, before continuing.

"My dad woke up to find my mom and my siblings dead on the floor. I was just screaming my lungs out from the crib. He had to raise me by himself. The worst part is… is… I can't even remember what my siblings were like."

Bella wasn't happy. She scowled at him.

"That's Finding Nemo, you moron! I mean come on! At least try to sell the story! Look, I wanted to get to know you, but you clearly aren't going to take this seriously, so I'm just going to leave." She snapped. Finn sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just hard to talk about this stuff."

Bella's face softened a little.

"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about this stuff if you don't want to. We just met last week after all."

Finn shook his head.

"No, it's fine. I mean, most people in Glee know. And you seem like a genuinely kind person, and you've been honest with me thus far. I guess I owe you the same."

Finn took a sip of his water and began to speak. From his sudden change in tone and emotion, Bella knew that he wasn't lying this time.

"I was born in Toronto. My dad was my hero - he was an infantryman, serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. I lived with just my mom because he was on tour in Afghanistan. While he was there, he saw something and it seriously fucked him up. When he was discharged, he came home with serious PTSD. That would have been treatable and he would have been fine, but the problem was that he refused help. He got really abusive: hit me a bunch, whipped me with his belt, he even would burn me with cigarette butts because he was always smoking or drinking. It was hell, but it got a lot worse. After 5 months of this, my mom couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take watching the man she loved so much be turned into a monster. But rather than divorcing the monster and taking me with her like a good mom should do, she decided to hang herself. Every night, when I close my eyes, I see her hanging limply from that chandelier."

Finn closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. Bella put an arm around him.

"Hey, you don't have to continue if you don't want to." She said softly. Finn chuckled mirthlessly.

"Oh, Bella. We're not even halfway there yet! After my mom's death, my dad broke. The last strand of him that connected him to humanity, snapped. He got so much worse. Rather than hitting me with his hand, he clobbered me with a metal baseball bat. He would smash beer bottles on my body. He sometimes left me for days at a time, without leaving me food or water. And I was only 7! I couldn't live alone, let alone with a demented, deranged army veteran. One day, he took it way too far. He was drunk off his ass, and he had given me a 9 pm curfew. The house was a dump - beer bottles and cigarette butts everywhere - so I wanted to clean up the house a bit. He came home to see me not in bed and he snapped. He grabbed me and used his military strength to throw me across the room. I landed on the glass coffee table and it smashed. Shards of glass impaled me everywhere. My face, my torso, my arms, my legs. My dad called an ambulance and I was rushed to the hospital. After a hell of a lot of stitches, making me look like Frankenstein, I was discharged from the hospital. But I wasn't about to go home with that monster. I ran away and I never looked back. I don't know where my dad is now. He could be dead. He could be imprisoned."

Bella was horrified. It was almost like Finn was telling a scary Halloween story, but Bella knew that every word was true. Although it was difficult, Finn forced himself to continue.

"After I ran away, I was forced to live homeless on the streets. I changed my name from Ronan Farrow to Antoine Gobert so that I couldn't be tracked. I didn't bring anything with me when I fled: just my guitar and the clothes on my back. I had to learn to sing and play guitar well really quickly to earn me money, but even with that talent, I barely earnt enough for food, and I lived by the street corner of the Yonge-Eglinton intersection."

Bella nodded.

"Yeah, that's where I remembered you from. You obviously look pretty different as it was a long time ago, but your voice is almost the same. I donated you some money once."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Actually? Because 90% of people I came across ignored me, 5% kicked me or spat on me, and only 5% actually gave me money."

"Yeah, I lived around a ten minute walk away. Whenever I would walk past when I was going to the Yonge-Eglinton Center with my parents, I would donate 5-10 dollars."

Finn smiled at her and gave her a big hug.

"Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

Bella beamed back at him. Finn hugging her just felt… right. Finn then continued his story.

"I stayed on the streets for 7 years, until I was like 14. Then, I was found by the police. They couldn't I.D me so couldn't send me back to my father, but they put me in foster-care. That was a hundred times worse than anything that happened on the streets. Sure I was mugged quite a bit on the streets, but that was mainly to steal something. In foster care, gangs of 18 year olds beat me up for the sake of beating me up and inflicting pain and damage. I had to learn how to fight to defend myself against knives, daggers, and twice, guns. When I was 14, I was somehow adopted by a woman called Carole. She was the best person I ever knew, and she paid for me to go through all of the emotional therapy that I needed after the trauma. Finally, I was relatively happy, and was like the man you see before you today. Last year, we moved to Lima from Canada because her job transferred us there."

Bella raised a hand in confusion.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you said that she _'was'_ the best person you ever knew. What happened?"

Finn sighed and closed his eyes once more.

"During March of earlier this year, while I was in Toledo for Glee Regionals, Carole was walking home when someone mugged her. She was stabbed in the process and she bled out before she made it to the hospital. I wasn't there to save her, or even say goodbye."

Bella clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my god." She murmured. Stray tears leaked out of her eyes as she listened to the story.

"Yup, she passed away, and we had a beautiful funeral service for her. But then after the funeral, things got even worse. Because I had no living family members, the next step for my future would have been back to foster care. But I couldn't go back, knowing all of the horrors in store for me there. So, once again, I ran.

But this time, I was running away from my friends and they all, especially Santana, got really pissed as I didn't have time to say goodbye. I literally climbed out of the window when the Will Executor was there and I travelled across the whole country by bus. I made it to L.A a couple of days later, and from there, I took a plane to Hawaii. While I was travelling one leg of the journey, Santana called me and started insulting the crap out of me for not saying goodbye, not realising how little time I had. It was then that I realised that I couldn't start a new life if I held onto past friendships. I dumped my phone in a dumpster in Hawaii Airport. I was homeless in Hawaii for a month, playing street gigs on my guitar for money, when for the first time, luck was on my side. I got picked up by a hotel to be their performer. I earnt good money and played that gig for 4 months. Then, George from the New Directions - he was a close friend of mine from Canada - told me that he was moving to Lima and offered me to stay with him and his mom. I accepted the offer and I moved back here, and here I am today. Oh, and a couple of weeks ago, I got shot when a shooter came to McKinley, saving the life of Santana who, at that point, still hated my guts." Finn added the last bit as an afterthought.

Bella was speechless. She didn't know what to say. She squeezed his hand gently and suddenly, someone called Finn. It was George.

"Sorry, can I take this, please?" He asked. She nodded and Finn stood up.

"Hey, man. What's up?" Finn asked.

"HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT'S GOING ON?" George practically shouted into the phone.

"Um… no. What's going on?"

"Turn on your TV. NOW! My mom and I are on our way home" He exclaimed, and hung up the phone. Finn, confused, walked back into the living room and turned on the TV. The News channel was displaying some Breaking News.

_9 Murder-convicted Prisoners Escape from High Secuity Prison in Lima Ohio. Whole state is in lockdown_

"Oh my god!" Finn and Bella shouted at the same time.


	37. Chapter 37

_9 MURDER-CONVICTED PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM HIGH SECUITY PRISON IN LIMA OHIO. WHOLE CITY IS IN LOCKDOWN_

"Oh my god!" Finn and Bella shouted at the same time. Bella started to hyperventilate.

"What do I do? My… my… parents aren't here. They're in Manhattan for a business trip. I'm scared to be home alone."

Finn nodded and held her tightly.

"It's OK. You can just stay here. Lemme just call George and ask where he is."

Bella sniffled and nodded, and Finn got up and called George.

"You seen what's happening?" George asked.

"Yeah, dude, where are you? Are you safe?"

"Yeah. My mom and I are safe. We're in Columbus, and we're in the Canadian embassy. What about you? Are you home? Are you alone?"

"Yeah, I'm home, but I'm not alone. Bella's with me. Her parents are in Manhattan so she's just gonna stay with me for the lockdown."

He heard George snicker.

"Shut up, it's not like that."

George sighed.

"Yeah, I know. You're boring. You don't get laid. But dude, just stay safe, okay?"

"You got it." Finn said and hung up the phone. He then walked to the front door, and locked and bolted it. He then pulled curtains over the windows - just like they did during the lockdown. Bella had started to cry softly, so Finn walked over to her and held her.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. You're gonna be fine." He whispered. She nodded and cried into his shirt, staining it with her tears. Finn didn't mind though. Frankly, Finn was disgusted at how unmoved he was about the whole situation. He had been almost desensitized because of all the shit he had been through beforehand. But he knew that Bella was not OK, so he needed to do something to distract her.

Suddenly, a spotlight briefly swept over their window and a P.A voice announced an update.

" _2 CONVICTS HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED. 7 REMAIN AT LARGE. PLEASE STAY INSIDE UNTIL WE SAY OTHERWISE."_

Bella had calmed down a little, but as soon as the police made the announcement, she broke down again. There were 7 hardened criminals on the street. Criminals who, if she ran into them, could do god-knows-what to her. Finn put his arm around her.

"Nothing's going to happen to you. I swear." He said, softly. "But we need to do something to distract ourselves, or time is going to go extremely slowly. You want to watch a movie or TV Show or something?"

She took a deep breath. She needed to get it together. Someone like Finn was never going to go out with a mess like her. She nodded.

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

"OK, what would you like to watch? We can have a movie or TV show marathon. What's your favourite show?"

Bella thought for a moment.

"Um… probably Friends." She replied. Finn smiled widely.

"Let's watch some Friends then." He said, turning on the TV. He knew that it would be a good way for them to keep their mind off of the outside world. Bella curled up next to Finn and he put his arm around her protectively. Bella loved having Finn's arm around her, and never wanted him to let go. They then started watching the show. They watched for several hours before Finn heard a faint snoring from next to him. He looked down. Bella had fallen asleep. She looked so beautiful when she was sleeping. Her face wasn't full of worry - it looked so innocent. Finn smiled. She looked like an angel. He didn't want to wake her up, so he gently lifted her and moved her so that she was lying horizontally on the sofa. He covered her with a blanket and then tiptoed over to the armchair, and rested his eyes too.

The next morning, Bella woke up to the smell of delectable pancakes. Confused, she slowly got off the sofa and walked into the kitchen. Finn was cooking breakfast over a stove, and was humming quietly. She smiled to herself and then tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around and smiled at her, giving her a hug.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked. She smiled at him.

"Great, thanks to you. In case you hadn't noticed from yesterday, I hate being alone."

Finn nodded.

"Are your parents OK? Did they make it home at the end?" Finn asked. Bella's eyes widened and she checked her phone. She relaxed.

"Yeah, they did. They said for me to come home whenever. And they said thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem at all. I was alone too so I guess we did each other a favour."

Bella shrugged.

"Were you really scared though? Be honest." She asked. Finn sighed and shook his head.

"Nah, not really. The chances of me being attacked while living on the streets were much, much higher than one of 9 criminals attacking us. I was more concerned that you were going to pass out. You started hyperventilating."

Bella blushed.

"Sorry about that." She said, looking down. Finn smiled kindly.

"No need to apologise. Now eat up while the food's still warm."

They sat opposite each other at the kitchen table and began to eat. The food was absolutely divine. Every bite melted on Bella's tongue, the ratio of cream, syrup and fruit was perfect. She had ever eaten such delicious food before in her life.

"How's the food?" Finn asked.

"Damn it Finn, this is incredible!" She exclaimed between mouthfuls.

"Thanks. My adopted mom taught me how."

"So you're the captain of the football team, co-captain of the Glee club, you're a really nice guy and you can cook? How are you not dating anyone?"

Finn laughed nervously and blushed.

"Thanks." He replied. "I don't know. Some bad stuff went down between me and Quinn last year, and then I went through a lot when my mom died in March, so dating wasn't really a priority back then. And I guess, if I'm being honest, I hadn't met the right person back then. Quinn and I were honestly just using each other for popularity."

They finished their food in silence. After the meal, Finn collected the two plates and put them in the sink. He then turned back around to face Bella, and he noticed a little bit of whipped cream that was above her lip.

"Um… Bella. You've got some cream, right here." He said, putting a hand gently on her face. All resistance between them suddenly snapped…

They locked in a fierce embrace, kissing passionately. Finn lifted Bella onto the kitchen island and they continued their heated make out session. Suddenly, a phone rang out and Bella groaned.

"That's mine." She murmured against his lips. "I'm just going to ignore it."

Finn chuckled and took the phone out from her back pocket. It was easy to do so as his hands were already in that region.

"You should answer it." Finn said, handing her the phone. "It could be your parents."

She sighed and nodded. Quickly unlocking the phone, she checked her missed calls. It was, in fact, her mom.

"Told you so." Finn said, reading her expression. She laughed and called her mom back. Her mom answered immediately.

"Hey mom, what's up?" Bella said.

"Bella! Are you OK?" Her mom asked, frantically.

"Um… yeah. Why?"

"Your father and I just arrived home and you weren't there. Where are you?"

"I thought I told you. I was with a friend when the lockdown started so I just stayed at his place last night."

"HIS? IT'S A BOY? BELLA LAUREN SUTTON YOU COME HOME RIGHT NOW!" Her mom shouted into the phone. Bella sighed.

"OK, fine. I'm on my way." She muttered and hung up. She then walked back into the kitchen, where Finn was waiting. She sighed. She really didn't want to leave right now. Finn saw the apologetic look on her face and laughed.

"Let me guess… you've gotta go." He said. She nodded.

"Unfortunately."

"About what just happened." Finn started and Bella's heart dropped. What was he about to say? "Does this mean we're…"

Finn's voice trailed off, and Bella beamed widely.

"If you want to. I know I'd love to." She said. Finn relaxed considerably and grinned.

"Bella Sutton, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked, goofily. She giggled.

"Yes. Definitely yes."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next day, the morning flew by for Finn. He woke up early, and when him and George drove to school, Finn couldn't stop smiling to himself. George noticed the sudden change in Finn's mannerisms.

"What's up with you? You get some this weekend?" He asked. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Why does everything have to be about sex with you?" Finn replied. "I could have written a really good song over the weekend."

"Did you?"

"No, but that's not the point." Finn grumbled. George laughed.

"Seriously, what happened?" George persisted.

"Bella and I kinda started dating."

George suddenly pulled over to the side of the road, and then slammed on the breaks.

"Dude, what the hell?!" Finn exclaimed, rubbing his neck where the seatbelt sliced him.

"Finn Hudson finally has a girlfriend? This calls for a celebration!"

"Haha." Finn remarked.

"I wasn't kidding! I need to plan a party! We need tequila! And lot's of it! I've never seen you drunk on Tequila before."

"And you never will. Now can we please get to Glee rehearsal?"

George laughed and they drove the rest of the short journey to school. When Finn left the car, he walked into the school building, and towards the long row of lockers. He immediately saw Bella standing over by her locker, putting some books in her bag, and he walked over. She hadn't seen him yet, so he wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey beautiful." He whispered in her year. She immediately relaxed when she realised it was her boyfriend, and she turned around and smiled at him.

"Hey you." She said, brushing his lips with her own.

"How was the rest of your weekend?" Finn asked. Bella groaned.

"Pretty bad, actually. I got an earful from my parents for staying at a guy's house. They're pretty overprotective, to say the least."

Finn laughed.

"I'm so sorry. But I mean where else were you supposed to go? There was nobody at your place, right?"

"Exactly!"

Finn laughed.

"The benefits of living with your best friend is that you get treated like a son, but there isn't as much overprotectiveness."

Bella giggled.

"Yeah, well lucky you. Now let's get to Glee rehearsal."

"OK," Finn replied, pulling her into a kiss. She giggled and tried to pull away, but Finn was too strong, and he had her backed up against the lockers.

"Finn, we have to go." She exclaimed.

"So we're a few minutes late. Sue us." He shrugged. Bella laughed again and deepened the kiss. Before long, Sue came around the corner.

"HEY! LOVEBIRDS! BREAK IT UP!"

Finn and Bella rolled their eyes and reluctantly pulled apart. They walked hand in hand into Glee rehearsal for the first time as a couple…


	38. Chapter 38

The next few weeks flew by for Finn. His life was so busy - there was practically no time to relax. Between daily football practises, Glee rehearsals, and keeping up a relationship with Bella and a friendship with his friends, he felt like he hadn't slept in years. He had Rachel and Mr. Schue on his ass about the upcoming Sectionals, and Coach Beiste about the approaching football games. They were on an undefeated 3-0 streak, and the football team were determined to keep that up. Finn's exhaustion was starting to show though.

It was a Glee rehearsal in mid October, and Sectionals were in a couple of weeks. Finn could faintly hear Rachel and Mercedes arguing, and he tried to listen to what they were saying, but his body was fighting against him. As soon as Finn blinked, his didn't open again, and he silently fell asleep. He was roughly awakened when George nudged his shoulder. Finn blinked a couple of times and took in his surroundings. An argument clearly was going on. Mercedes, Santana, Quinn Bella, Puck and Artie were on one side, and Rachel was on the other. The rest of the group seemed to be in the neutral zone, in the middle.

"Sorry. What's going on?" Finn asked, stupidly. Mr. Schue looked at him.

"Finn, are you OK?" He asked, concerned. "It's not like you to fall asleep in the middle of rehearsal. And you look pretty tired."

Finn rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry. Lot on my plate right now. What's going on?" Finn asked again.

"Well…" Rachel said, glaring at the rest of the group. "I just told Mr. Schue that while Journey is a wonderful choice for Sectionals, we need to choose an artist that can really show the audience my voice's full potential and talent. You and I should do a romantic duet. Remember Regionals last year? We have amazing musical chemistry so…"

"Let me get this straight, Rachel…" Bella said, staring down Rachel. "You want to sing a romantic duet with MY boyfriend?"

"And by the way," Quinn said, standing next to Bella. "How are you so sure that you and Finn are going to get the leads? Have you ever thought that maybe one of us would like to sing a solo or duet? You can't sing them all."

Finn watched as the rest of the Glee club murmured, and nodded their heads, agreeing to everything that Quinn had just said. Rachel's face flushed, her mouth slightly opened, and then her eyes rolled.

"Yes, I agree that I do get a lot of the solos and duets, but that's because my voice is the greatest and my voice has had the most training. Mr. Schue, if Finn and I have performed the most duets on stage at the competitions, shouldn't we just go with that? We have the most experience on that stage, and to be honest if I may, everyone else's voices are a little…" Rachel cleared her throat, shooting a look at Quinn, before finishing her sentence. "Weak."

Everyone erupted in argument, and Finn sighed and closed his eyes once again. He only nodded off for a couple of minutes, before Liam shook him.

"Dude, wake up." Liam said. Finn yawned and looked around. Everyone was looking at him.

"What did I miss?" He asked. Mr. Schue looked at him sympathetically.

"I was asking you what you wanted to do for Sectionals."

"Um…" Finn said, looking around the room. "Mr. Schue, and I say this in the nicest way possible. PLEASE don't make me solo for Sectionals! I've got a lot on my mind right now, and the last thing I need is added responsibility. And Rachel, with all due respect, let someone else solo for once. You always insist on soloing, but there's so much talent in this room, and it would be a shame if they didn't get a chance to shine as well."

Rachel scowled at him, but everyone else smiled.

"Come on, Finn! Get your head out of your ass! I'm the best singer in the Glee club! Of course I'm going to solo a lot! And you have tonnes of free time. You're always chatting to random people in the hallways."

"You mean socialising?" Finn remarked, laughing. "Yeah, that's how you make friends, Rachel, in case you didn't know. And by the way, you're not the best singer in the Glee club. The reason you get the solos is that nobody else wants to be in the same room as you long enough to deal with your massive ego."

Everyone gasped and was rendered silent by Finn's sudden outburst. Finn normally avoided conflict at all costs, but this time, he wasn't holding anything back.

"Excuse me?" Rachel stammered, just as shocked at everyone else.

"You're not the best singer in the Glee club." Finn said again. "And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Remember last year, during the Glee competition, who won? That's right, me! Not you."

"Finn's right. He's a better singer than you. And I don't even mind if he solos for Sectionals." Quinn said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"All right. So, is everyone OK with Finn soloing for Sectionals?" Mr. Schue said, trying to end the argument as soon as possible.

"NO! I'm not!" Finn exclaimed. "I don't want to solo for Sectionals. I'm already stretched way too thin as it is. Give the leads to someone else. Please, Mr. Schue. I'm begging you."

Mr. Schue nodded, studying everyone's faces. He clapped his hands together.

"All right. I think we've all decided that Finn and Rachel are taking a break for Sectionals, and somebody should take their place. I'll have a decision on who gets the leads by next class."

Finn breathed a sigh of relief, avoiding Rachel's glares. Suddenly, someone whispered into his ear. It was George.

"Dude. Come with me. Now." He said, simply. Finn nodded and followed the brunette out the room. They walked out of the school gates, where they were joined by Harry and Liam. They sat down on a bench on the edge of the campus.

"Finn, what's going on?" Liam asked, straight up. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" He asked, confused.

"You're exhausted. You're clearly sleep deprived." Harry pointed out. Finn shrugged.

"What can I say? Between academic work, football practise, football tactics meetings with Beiste, Glee rehearsals, dating Bella, and socialising with my friends, I don't have much down time."

George rolled his eyes.

"Come on. Cut the crap, Finn! We know you better than that. There's something else bothering you." George said. "And you live at my house. You go to sleep at like midnight every night, so you should technically be getting like 7 hours of sleep every night. But you're not sleeping, are you?"

Finn sighed and shook his head. He put his head in his hands.

"OK, fine. No, I haven't been sleeping. I've been thinking a lot about Carole lately. How I don't even know why she died. For all I know, it could have been premeditated."

George looked at him, confused.

"Who would want to hurt Carole. She was like the kindest woman in the world!"

"I don't know. Maybe someone I ran away from when I was seven. Someone who's mentally unstable, and extremely physically abusive. Someone who has killed people before in Afghanistan, and isn't a stranger to the experience."

"Your dad." George whispered. Finn nodded.

"Yeah. I know it's crazy, and it's probably not true, but I can't help but think you know? I managed to put it out of my head when I was in Hawaii because I was alone, and nobody I cared about was in danger. But now, the people I love most are all near me, and quite frankly, that really scares me. Every night, I get scared that when I fall asleep, I'll wake up the next morning and someone I love is dead."

The three other boys were silent. Finn was clearly extremely scarred, and he buried so many issues deep down. It was only a matter of time before it all bubbled up and exploded.

"Finn, I think that's all in your head. You watched the police interrogate the murderer yourself." Liam said, softly. Finn nodded.

"I know. It's just, after everything that's happened, it's hard not to think."

George sighed.

"Finn, we say this purely because we love you like a brother: we think you need help. Like professional help. From a psychologist. These thoughts that you're having, they're not normal. I'm not a psychologist, but I think you might have anxiety and depression. Members of your family have already been diagnosed with PTSD and depression before, and it's pretty common for it to be passed down."

Finn laughed.

"I don't know, dude. I think you're the one reading too much into it."

"Am I?" George persisted. "Because you're showing symptoms. You're having feelings of helplessness and hopelessness; you're losing interest in activities such as football and Glee; you're not sleeping; you have less energy; you're having concentration problems. All of those are symptoms of depression."

Finn listened to him intently, and then shrugged. He knew that George was right.

"OK, fine. Maybe you're right. Maybe I have depression. But I don't need a random person I've never met before to analyse and judge me. I've been through therapy once before, and it didn't help."

George sighed. He knew Finn, and he knew that Finn was going to be stubborn.

"That's fine." Liam said. "I mean, it's not like anyone in your family became abusive due to lack of treatment of depression and PTSD issues, right?"

"That's different. He fought in Afghanistan. Of course he wasn't going to be OK. I'm different."

"Why? How?" Harry asked. "You've both had to deal with deaths of people you love, you've both been beaten to a pulp. The only difference is that he was in Asia when it happened, and you were in the States."

"You need help, Finn." George said again. "Look, we know we can't force you to do anything you don't want to do, but please, go at least once to therapy. You need to talk to someone. It's only going to get worse if you don't. And none of us would be able to handle it if you did something stupid to yourself…"

"Ah, Mr. Hudson, come on in."

Finn walked into the oddly comforting room. It contained a desk, and a couch. Finn was instructed to sit on the sofa. He thought about all of the other people who had sat on that very couch. They were probably all like him, crippled by depression, anxiety and other mental health issues that, if left untreated, could run rampant and run their lives. Finn's hands were shaking slightly. He was about to open up to someone he had never met before.

"So, Finn." The doctor said, smiling kindly at him. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"Um… I… I suffer from depression. And it's something I have to live with, and it's becoming too much. I need your help, doctor."


	39. Chapter 39

"All right, guys. Sectionals are just a few weeks away, and it's time to bear down. Okay, your singing last year was amazing, but your dancing… not so much. It's booty camp time."

"Booty!" Artie cheered and everyone laughed. Mr. Schue instructed them to find a space around the room, before standing at the front of the room to guide them.

"So let's get it going." He said. "Five, six, seven, eight. Push yourselves, guys. Vocal Adrenaline takes no prisoners."

The music started to play, and the Glee club started to dance. Finn was an okay dancer - he wasn't as good as Mike, but he wasn't as bad as George - so he managed to avoid most of the criticism. Finn watched as Puck struggled with the dance moves and he laughed. Ever since he had started therapy last week, he was already feeling a lot happier. He wasn't prescribed any medicine, but he had been given some coping mechanisms for whenever he felt sad or helpless. He was sleeping better and had a lot more energy during the day. Finn watched as George slipped over and when he flung his arm back to steady his fall, he made contact with Rachel's face. HARD. She crumpled to the ground, clutching her face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." He exclaimed.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Schue asked, rushing over. Rachel slowly looked up, and moved a hand from her abnormally large nose, revealing a small stream of blood.

"I'm bleeding."

"Let's get you to a doctor." Mr. Schue said, helping her up and following out the room. Finn walked over to George, who felt extremely bad.

"Jesus dude, I know a lot of people wanted to do that, but you really shouldn't have gone full Mike Tyson on her ass!" Finn joked. George rolled his eyes and blushed furiously.

"I didn't mean to!" George exclaimed.

"I don't know, man. All I know is you throw a mean right hook." Liam said, joining the conversation. Him and Finn proceeded to spend the rest of the day making boxing jokes, annoying George to no end. Eventually he decided to leave.

"Look, I'm going to go and see if Rachel's OK. You guys can keep making your lame jokes."

"Bye John Cena. Remember, fight with your words, not your hands." Liam said, patronisingly. George walked away and went to the nurse's office to look for Rachel.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"My dads will be here in 15 minutes. You don't have to stay, George."

George had driven Rachel to the hospital, and he stayed with her as a doctor took a number of X-rays.

"No, I want to wait and hear what the doctor says. I feel terrible." He said, truthfully. Rachel raised an eyebrow. She had found George really attractive, but she knew that he was dating Quinn.

"Won't Quinn be mad at you sitting vigil at my bedside?" She asked. George shook his head.

"Well, I'm standing, and-and she'd understand how awful I feel even if it's not broken."

The doctor then walked into the room, holding a couple of papers in a file. He opened the file and tacked up one of the photos on the wall. George instantly recognised the paper as an X-ray photo of Rachel's nose. He had had his fair share of broken bones in the past because of football and hockey injuries.

"It's broken." The doctor said, pointing to a spot on the image where there was clearly a small break. George sighed and put his head in his hands. He felt incredibly bad for the brunette. He knew how much singing and Glee meant to her, and he knew that she would have to rest until her nose healed.

"Well, I knew I was a bad dancer, but I never thought my dancing was dangerous." He remarked to Rachel.

"It's a clean break, so I-I won't have to set it." The doctor said. "Considering your deviated septum, I'd consider this a terrific opportunity for a little vanity adjustment."

"Are you suggesting that I get a nose job?" She said, incredulously.

"You're 16, right? That's when I gave my daughters theirs. It's like a right of passage for Jewish girls."

"First of all, I like how I look." She started. The doctor interrupted by turning to George.

"Is she your girlfriend?" The doctor asked him. George looked up suddenly and shook his head.

"N-No."

"What does your girlfriend look like?" The doctor persisted. Before George could answer, Rachel interrupted him.

"Okay, and second of all, I don't want to do anything that's going to affect my voice. My Broadway career depends on it." Rachel said, matter-of-factly. "And we've got a big show choir competition coming up and I'm our best singer."

"Second best." George coughed audibly into his sleeve. Rachel scowled at him.

"Doesn't impact the voice. That's just a myth." Dr. Abelman replied. "The fact is, opening up that septum might allow you to take in more air per breath, which means bigger belts on your high notes."

Rachel was shocked.

"B-But Barbra…" She stammered.

"Is great. She's also one in a million. The fact is, if you really want to be an actress, you might want to consider looking and sounding the best that you can. I got an appointment open next week. Can I sign you up?" The doctor asked hopefully.

Meanwhile, back home, Finn was scrolling through his email, when he suddenly heard a beep notification coming into his phone. He checked it. It was an email from Adidas. Finn raised an eyebrow and read the email.

_Dear Mr. Finn Hudson,_

_Adidas is excited to bring you on board as a model._

_We're just a few formalities away from getting down to work. Please take the time to review our formal offer. It includes important details about your compensation, benefits and the terms and conditions of your anticipated employment with Adidas._

_Adidas, Ohio is offering a part time position for you as a photo model, reporting to Mr. Klaus Froleau on Saturday November 1st and Sunday November 2nd at the Adidas warehouse in Columbus, Ohio. You are expected to work from 8 am - 8 pm all weekend._

_In this position, Adidas is offering to pay you $1500. You will be paid on Sunday evening, as a one-time payment._

_If we are happy with your performance and look during the shoot, we are likely to offer you more offers similar to this one, in Adidas stores all over the world._

_As an employee of Adidas you will be eligible for 25% off on all Adidas products, and a free year-long gym membership that can be used at any Adidas gym worldwide._

_Please indicate your agreement with these terms and accept this offer by signing and dating this agreement on or before October 20th._

_Sincerely, Kasper Rorsted_

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Oh my God, you're getting a nose job!" Quinn exclaimed. It was Glee rehearsal the next morning and Rachel had just told the Glee club about the procedure she was considering.

"I'm…considering having a minor procedure to repair my deviated septum." Rachel replied.

"So, a nose job." Santana remarked.

"Look, I'm… I'm happy with the way that I look, okay? And I've embraced my nose. But let's say I wanted to have a slightly more demure nose. Like Quinn's, for example. I-I would never change my appearance for vanity, but, I mean, the doctor said that it could possibly improve my talent, which would help us all for Sectionals, Regionals and Nationals."

"Possibly? What about the risks? Your voice is amazing as is, Rachel." Mr. Schue said.

"Hold up." Sam said. Everyone turned to him. He hadn't said anything asshole-like in a while, and he was due for a comment. "Could we all just get real here for a second? I hear that Rachel's got a bit of a schnoz. I mean, I wouldn't know because, like Medusa, I try to avoid eye contact with her. But can we all just stop lying about how there aren't things that we wouldn't change about ourselves? I mean, I'm sure that Quinn's been at the doctor's office and rifled through pamphlets on removing stretch marks. I'll bet Artie's thought about getting his legs removed since he's not really using them anyways. And I'm definitely sure that Tina's looked into getting an eye de-slanting."

Everyone's mouths gaped open. That was so rude!

"That's extraordinarily racist." Tina spat. Sam rolled his eyes.

"I'm keepin' it real." He replied.

"Sorry, Santana. I'm a beautiful person. I'm in love with myself, and I would never change a thing." She said.

"Is that why you're wearing blue contacts today, Tina?" Artie murmured. Tina glared at him.

"Not many Asian sex symbols, Artie. I'm just trying to be in fashion and mirror what I see in the magazines."

"Look, maybe Rachel's fine with having an enormous beak. Maybe she needs it to crack hard seeds. All I'm saying is that if you look in the mirror and you don't like what you see, you should change it." Sam said. Mr. Schue stood up, appalled. He couldn't believe what he was listening to.

"Whoa, guys. I'm really shocked at what I'm hearing here. It goes against everything the glee club stands for. I'm telling you, the thing you would most like to change about yourself is the most interesting part of you."

"Well, maybe, but at this school, the thing that makes you different is the thing people use to crush your spirit." Mercedes remarked. Finn sighed.

"No offense, but you guys are being stupid. Unless you're a professional model, which I don't think anyone here is, you shouldn't have to change your looks to suit others." Finn argued.

"That's easy for you to say when you're the hottest guy in school." Mercedes snapped, rolling her eyes. "Not everyone's as blessed as you are."

"I might be good looking on the outside, but I've got huge flaws on the inside. Everyone has their own flaws, and that's usually the best part about them. Nobody here shouldn't be afraid to show us who they are, warts and all." Finn said, before realising what he had just said.

"Oh crap." Finn muttered to himself. He had just proven the opposite point of what he had been arguing against George a couple of nights before. Ever since his first appointment, Finn had asked George, Liam and Harry not to tell anyone that he was going to therapy for his mental health issues. They had of course respected his decision, and weren't about to rat him out, but George had argued with him that he should tell the Glee club. Finn adamantly refused though, for the exact reasons why Rachel wanted to get a nose job. She said that it was to enhance her performance in Glee, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Everyone knew that she was considering a nose job to prevent the teasing that she had gotten from others about her large nose.

Finn turned around to George to see if he had noticed what Finn had just said, and of course he had. George winked at Finn, and Finn sighed and slumped into his seat. Mr. Schue stood up.

"Look guys, I can't believe what I'm hearing right now! Everyone is going to sing a song about loving themself. No exceptions. Everyone has to sing. Who wants to start?"

Nobody said anything. The room had gone from an outburst of noise to sudden silence. Suddenly, George broke the silence.

"Finn wants to go first." George announced. Finn's heart dropped. He looked around at George.

"Um… no I don't." he said confused.

"Come on, Finn. After all, you are technically still the best singer in the Glee club. Lead by example."

Finn sighed, picked up his guitar and walked to the front of the room. He sighed and took a breath. It was now or never. George nodded at him reassuringly, and Finn scowled at him.

"OK, look…" Finn started. "When I was arguing that we shouldn't be afraid to show flaws, I was kinda being a huge hypocrite. I do have my own flaws and secrets that I haven't been sharing. I… uh… I have PTSD, depression and anxiety. I've lived with it practically my whole life, but over the past couple of weeks, it got really bad. I wasn't able to sleep more than an hour a night because of vivid nightmares, I was feeling like crap, and it was negatively affecting my health and my performance in football and Glee. My ability to concentrate started to fail, and if it weren't for George, Liam and Harry calling me out on this, I would have deteriorated even more. Now, I've started going to therapy and I'm feeling a lot better. So that's me, and I'm going to be singing a song I wrote recently. It's called Sun Comes Up."

Finn closed his eyes and prepared for the onslaught of comments that might come, but luckily, none came. He prepared to sing his song.

_[Verse 1]_

_I wonder, maybe they'd never find me_

_I've been waitin' such a long, long, long time to feel it_

_Swallowed by the waters around me_

_Though I took so many wrong, wrong, wrong turns to see it, woah_

_[Pre-Chorus]_

_But I dance through the blisters at night_

_And I laughed 'til I cried and cried and_

_I ran 'til my feet couldn't run no more (no more, no more)_

_And I sat 'til my lungs were burnin'_

_'Til I know I'm alive, alive, yeah_

_I'll sit 'til I can't hear words no more_

_[Chorus]_

_Suddenly the sun comes up_

_And I feel my love floodin' back again, yeah_

_Until the sun goes up_

_And I feel my love comin' up again_

_Suddenly the sun comes up_

_And the dark is gone_

_We made it to the dawn_

_And I don't miss you anymore_

_When the sun comes up_

_I can feel my love comin' back again_

_[Verse 2]_

_It wasn't easy tryin' to run with these handcuffs_

_I had to sleep through such a cold, cold, cold night to see it_

_Green flashes hit me right where I'm standing_

_Sunlight cut into your bones, bones, bones, started to heal it_

_[Pre-Chorus]_

_But I dance through the blisters at night_

_And I laughed 'til I cried and cried and_

_I ran 'til my feet couldn't run no more (no more, no more)_

_And I sat 'til my lungs were burnin'_

_'Til I know I'm alive, alive, yeah_

_I'll sit 'til I can't hear words no more_

_[Chorus]_

_Suddenly the sun comes up_

_And I feel my love floodin' back again, yeah_

_Until the sun goes up_

_And I feel my love comin' up again_

_[Lyrics from: ]_

_Suddenly the sun comes up_

_And the dark is gone_

_We made it to the dawn_

_And I don't miss you anymore_

_When the sun comes up_

_I can feel my love comin' back again_

_[Bridge]_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_Won't you give it_

_Give a little love back_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_Won't you give it_

_Turn your light on me_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_Give a little, to get a little love_

_Give a little light_

_To get a little love back_

_To get a little love back_

_[Pre-Chorus]_

_Dance through the blisters at night_

_I laughed 'til I cried and cried and_

_I ran 'til my feet couldn't run no more (no more, no more)_

_And I sat 'til my lungs were burnin'_

_I'm alive, alive_

_I can't hear words no more_

_[Chorus]_

_Suddenly the sun comes up_

_And I feel my love_

_Sun comes up again, my love_

_Until the sun comes up_

_And I feel my love comin' up again_

_I can feel my love, I can feel my love_

_[Outro]_

_Sun comes up_

_I can feel my love comin' back again_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[James Arthur - Sun Comes Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Vhi8dW6e8)

Tears came to every eye as Finn finished singing. The song was so emotional. It was so pure. It was so… Finn. It was an acoustic song, with just a keyboard, a guitar and Finn's voice providing the gorgeous music. Finn had opened his soul up, and given the whole Glee club a glimpse of the pain he was feeling. Once he finished playing, he started walking towards to his seat, but Mr. Schue stopped him.

"Wow… Finn… that was so powerful." Artie said, smiling at him.

"Yeah, it was incredible." Mr. Schue said. "And exactly what I was trying to get out of this lesson. Look, Rachel, Finn bared his soul to all of us, and he's not changing or hiding who he is. That's what Glee should be like. That's what family should be like."

Finn nodded and walked back to his seat. The rest of the rehearsal went by in a flash, and it was only at the end when Rachel finally spoke.

"OK… um… I've made my decision. I'm not getting a nose job. Thank you guys, especially Finn, for convincing me against it."

Finn smiled and nodded at her. The Glee club started to file out of the choir room, and Finn walked outside to the bleachers, where he knew that he wouldn't be disturbed. The wind blew a slight November breeze at him as he walked up the stairs. As he sat on the top floor of the bleachers, he took out his phone and texted Bella.

**Hey Bella, pls come to the bleachers.**

**Finn**

He then just sat back and waited, hoping that Bella would read the message soon. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Bella stepped out onto the field and walked towards him. She looked like a goddess. The wind blew her hair to the side of her face, her plain white sundress made her look like the hottest girl in the world, and her radiant smile was extremely infectious. When she reached the bleachers, she sat next to him.

"You look beautiful." Finn commented. Bella beamed at him.

"Thanks." She replied. "No babe?" She asked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" He said, completely at a loss.

"Whenever you text me, you usually call me babe. Or at least add a couple of X's at the end."

Finn looked down. Bella noticed his sombre expression and got a little worried.

"Finn, are you OK?"

"Um… I don't know. Look, I wanted to talk to you about what I said in Glee club. It's not fair to hold you to a relationship with someone who's going through as many mental issues as I am. So I want to offer you an out. We can go our separate ways, no hard feelings whatsoever. What do you say?"

Bella stared into his soulful, amber eyes and gently pulled him into a kiss.

"Finn… I love you." She whispered. Finn tensed up for a moment and Bella immediately thought that she had scared him off. She started to move back, but Finn held her hands and pulled her into another kiss.

"I love you too."


	40. Chapter 40

"Everyone on the bus!" Mr. Schue called. The New Directions clambered onto the bus. It was the day of Sectionals, and they were all nervous. It was their final chance for many of them to compete in Sectionals before graduation. Finn sat at the very back of the bus, and he was quickly joined by George, Liam and Harry. The bus rumbled away, and the bus was, surprisingly, dead silent. Not even Mr. Schue spoke. Finn walked up the aisle of the bus and slid in next to Santana, who was sitting alone.

"Hey, San." He said.

"Hey Finn! I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!" She exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"So are you excited for your solo?" Finn asked her. Santana had been picked to solo on one of the songs, and she was extremely nervous. She shook her head.

"No, not at all. I'm scared as hell. Why couldn't you have just done the solo?" She complained. Finn chuckled.

"Hey, you're gonna do great. I know you are."

"You'd better." Rachel said, listening into their conversation and turned around to face them from her seat in front of them. Finn sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Rachel. Pleasant as always." He remarked. Rachel smirked.

"And by the way, San, the reason you're performing in Sectionals and I'm not is that because it's so early in the competition that it doesn't matter if we showcase our… weaker voices."

Rachel's voice dripped with contempt. Finn could see Santana poised to strike at Rachel, so he held her back.

"Are you aware that when you talk, you sound like a total bitch?!" George called from the back of the bus. Everyone laughed and Rachel scowled.

"George, enough." Mr. Schue called, almost lazily.

"Thank you, Mr. Schue." Rachel said. "And thank you in advance for the solo I'm going to be getting in Nationals."

"OK, that's it." Finn shouted, slamming his hand on the armrest of the bus seat. "Rachel, you need to shut the hell up. You act like you're God's gift to humanity! Sure you might have a decent voice, but no Broadway director is going to want to work with you because of your bitchy atitude. And if you somehow manage to sneak your way into a role, I guarantee that you'll be first within the first month. If you showed a bit of humility and modesty, trust me, it would go a long way."

Finn paused for breath at the end of his outburst. During the spat, both him and Rachel had stood up and squared up to each other.

"You want to fight, Hudson?" Rachel challenged. Finn literally laughed in her face.

"Are you kidding me? I'm not going to fight you. You weigh less than half my weight."

"Well maybe you should lose some weight, you fucking elephant." Rachel snarled.

"OK, you want to fight me? LET'S GO!"

Finn started to lunge at Rachel, but Bella stood directly in front of Finn, and Mr. Schue stood directly in front of Rachel. If it was anyone else blocking him, Finn would have just shoved them aside, but he would never even think about doing that to Bella. Finn reluctantly took a step back. By this point, George had joined them at Finn's side.

"Look, Finn, Rachel, if you have issues with each other, could you please wait until after Sectionals to resolve them." Mr. Schue begged.

"But she…!" Finn started.

"Finn!" Mr. Schue shouted. Finn put his hands up in surrender.

"OK, fine. But could I ask for one thing, Mr. Schue?"

"What?" Mr. Schue asked tiredly. This was not how he had planned the day of Sectionals to go.

"If we do happen to make it to Nationals, don't blindly give the solos to me or Rachel. Could we have open auditions like we did for Regionals last year?"

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Deal."

Finn then trudged back to his seat at the back of the bus with George, Liam and Harry. Nobody spoke for the next half hour. The tension in the vehicle was palpable. They needed a morale booster. Desperately. Finn picked up his guitar from the overhead storage area and started to strum an upbeat melody.

**Finn:**

_I hopped off the plane at LAX_

_With a dream and my cardigan_

_Welcome to the land of fame excess,_

_Whoa, am I gonna fit in?_

George smiled and began to sing along with him.

**Finn and George:**

_Jumped in the cab,_

_Here I am for the first time_

_Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign_

_This is all so crazy_

_Everybody seems so famous_

The whole bus turned to Finn and George. They could see what the two boys were trying to do (build morale) and everyone but Rachel joined in.

**Santana, Brittany, Quinn and Bella:**

_My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick_

_Too much pressure and I'm nervous,_

_That's when the taxi man turned on the radio_

_And the Jay-Z song was on_

_And the Jay-Z song was on_

_And the Jay-Z song was on_

**Everyone but Rachel:**

_So I put my hands up_

_They're playing my song,_

_And the butterflies fly away_

_Noddin' my head like, yeah_

_Movin' my hips like, yeah_

_I got my hands up,_

_They're playin' my song_

_You know I'm gonna be okay_

_Yeah, it's a party in the USA_

_Yeah it's a party in the USA_

**Mercedes, Tina, Kurt:**

_Get to the club in a taxi cab_

_Everybody's looking at me now_

_Like "who's that chick, that's rockin' kicks?_

_She's gotta be from out of town"_

**Artie, Puck, Mike and Sam:**

_So hard with my girls not around me_

_Its definitely not a Nashville party_

_Cause' all I see are stilettos_

_I guess I never got the memo_

**Finn, Harry, Liam and George:**

_My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick_

_Too much pressure and I'm nervous_

_That's when the D.J. dropped my favorite tune_

_And a Britney song was on_

_And a Britney song was on_

_And a Britney song was on_

**Everyone but Rachel:**

_So I put my hands up_

_They're playing my song,_

_And the butterflies fly away_

_Noddin' my head like, yeah_

_Movin' my hips like, yeah_

_I got my hands up,_

_They're playin' my song_

_You know I'm gonna be okay_

_Yeah, it's a party in the USA_

_Yeah it's a party in the USA_

_Feel like hoppin' on a flight (On a flight)_

_Back to my hometown tonight (Town tonight)_

_But something stops me every time (Every time)_

_The DJ plays my song and I feel alright_

_So I put my hands up_

_They're playing my song,_

_And the butterflies fly away_

_Noddin' my head like, yeah_

_Movin' my hips like, yeah_

_I got my hands up,_

_They're playin' my song_

_You know I'm gonna be okay_

_Yeah, it's a party in the USA_

_Yeah it's a party in the USA_

_So I put my hands up_

_They're playing my song,_

_And the butterflies fly away_

_Noddin' my head like, yeah_

_Movin' my hips like, yeah_

_I got my hands up,_

_They're playin' my song_

_You know I'm gonna be okay_

_Yeah, it's a party in the USA_

_Yeah it's a party in the USA_

At the end of the song, everyone cheered, and the buzz of excited chatter started to fill the bus. Finn smiled to himself. Mission accomplished. Morale had officially been raised. Shortly after, the bus screeched to a halt and the doors hissed open.

"We're here!" Mr. Schue called. Excitedly, everyone piled off the bus and they were herded into the building. They had drawn the second spot, so they waited in the greenroom as the first group - the Dalton Academy Warblers - performed. There was still a lot of tension between Rachel and Finn, but they managed to put it aside until after the competition. As they waited in the greenroom, Mr. Schue walked in.

"OK, listen up everyone!" He announced. Everyone walked over to him. "I don't know what to tell you guys. We've been through this 4 times already. Just sing your hearts out and give it all you've got. Hands in."

Everyone put their hands in the circle.

"ONE… TWO… THREE… NEW DIRECTIONS!" Mr. Schue shouted.

"NEW DIRECTIONS!" They all cheered and got into position to perform.

An hour later, New Directions were announced as Sectionals champions. Their performance worked like a well-oiled machine. Santana started by soloing Back to Black - the same song she had sang in the Glee competition the year before. Then, the whole group joined her on stage and they sang We Are Young by Fun, and We Found Love by Rihanna. They all knew that their performance would have been stronger if Finn and Rachel had been the ones soloing, but it was a refreshing change to have others performing as the leads. After the performance, the New Directions climbed back onto the bus, worn out after the long, stressful day, but overall, satisfied with their performance. Finn sat next to Bella close to the back of the bus. On the way back to McKinley, the bus was pretty quiet. Some people whispered quietly to the person next to them, others went on their phones for the majority of the journey, and others just slept. Around 10 minutes into the journey, Bella put her head on Finn's shoulder, and she fell asleep. Finn put his arm around her and kissed her forehead gently. The truck softly rumbled down the expressway, and Finn was totally at peace.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

On Monday morning, Finn was early to Glee rehearsal. Him and George walked into the choir room together, and only Rachel and Tina were already there. When Finn walked in, Rachel scowled at him. Finn rolled his eyes and waited for everyone to arrive. When they all finally did, Rachel stood up.

"Listen up, everyone! I have an announcement. Finn, I'm calling you out." She shouted. Finn sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What a surprise." He mumbled and then stood up. Everyone was immediately on edge, weary but excited about what was about to happen.

"Finn, despite the fact that you somehow managed to win the solo competition last year, you are not the best singer in the Glee club. I AM!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Finn remarked and everyone sniggered. Rachel blushed and glared at him.

"Finn, I challenge you to a sing off. Winner claims the title of best singer in the Glee club."

Everyone oohed and aahed. Finn smirked.

"Fine, and can we also add money on it? Winner also gets 100 bucks."

The New Directions gasped. This was getting interesting. Rachel thought for a moment. Was it really worth it?

"OK, deal." She finally agreed. "What are the terms."

"Um… we each sing one song. The Glee club + Mr. Schue will vote on their favourite." Finn suggested. Rachel shook her head.

"No, they're all just going to vote for you!" She exclaimed. Finn sighed and turned to the group.

"OK guys, I know that a lot of us have issues with Rachel, but you guys have to swear to be honest. Don't vote for the nicer person, vote for the better singer."

The New Directions murmured in agreement. Finn turned back towards Rachel, triumphantly.

"There you have it. They're going to be honest. Anything else I've missed?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah, also, to prove who's truly more talented, the song we sing can't be one that we've practised countless times. It has to be something we put together in a short time. So the song choices will be random. We can use a random song generator from the internet."

Finn nodded, and the two shook hands.

"Rachel Berry, you've got yourself a deal."

The whole Glee club clapped their hands and cheered in excitement. This was going to be good. Luckily, Finn had the backing of practically the whole Glee club. At this point, Mr. Schue joined them on the stage.

"Well, well, well, I believe we have a huge sing-off coming up. And I'm going to stir the pot a bit. The winner of this sing-off also gets a solo in Regionals."

Rachel clapped her hands together.

"OK, time for the song selection. Mr. Schue, bring up the random song generator!" Rachel announced. Mr. Schue rolled his eyes at Rachel's overdramatic attitude, and he turned on the projector screen to display a website on the board. It contained a single button that when clicked, would choose a random song from iTunes and display it.

"OK Rachel, you click the button first." Mr. Schue said. Rachel nodded and strided over to the computer. She clicked the button and 4 words popped up.

**Rolling in the Deep**

Everyone started chattering excitedly when Rachel's song came up. Rachel was happy with it: it could have better, but could have been a lot worse.

"Finn, please come select your song." Mr. Schue said. Finn walked over and clicked the button himself. Another 4 words popped up on the screen.

**Let's Get It On**

Everyone laughed when they say when Finn had to sing. Rachel smirked to herself. She had a clear advantage in the song choice, and now she had to deliver with the actual performance.

Mr. Schue walked to the front of the room again.

"OK, Finn, you're singing Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye. Rachel, you're singing Rolling in the Deep by Adele. You have until next rehearsal to prepare. Good luck you two…"


	41. Chapter 41

Bella woke up on Tuesday morning and even though she only got about 6 hours of sleep, she wasn't the least bit tired. She jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, excited to see Finn in school. They spent time together almost every day, and Bella loved every minute of it. Finn understood her like nobody else did, and he always made her feel loved, cared for and safe. Once she was showered and dressed, she found her parents in the kitchen, sitting at the table and reading the paper.

"Hey mom, hey dad," Bella said as she walked over to the fridge and grabbed the orange juice, pouring herself a glass.

"Good morning honey," Mrs. Sutton said. "You didn't get much sleep last night, are you going to be okay at school?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine, mom," Bella replied before taking a drink of her juice.

"You better be fine," Mr. Sutton said teasingly. "You know something," he said, putting firm the newspaper and turning his attention to Bella. "Your mother and I were just talking, and we'd like you to invite Finn over for dinner sometime this week."

Bella almost choked on her drink. She quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the juice off her chin that had nearly shot out her mouth.

"Dinner?" She asked.

"Yeah." Her mom said, amused by her daughter's reaction. "Your father hasn't had a chance to talk to him yet, and I wouldn't mind finding out more about him myself."

"So this is going to be an interrogation dinner." Bella said, seeing her dad's true motivation.

"Think of it as a…" Mr. Sutton began, trying to think of another way to phrase it. "Okay, well an interrogation dinner." He finally relented. "We just want to get to know him a little better, that's all."

"We promise that we won't make him feel uncomfortable." Her mom said, giving her husband a warning look.

Bella eyed her parents for a second. "I'll ask him." She finally said. "But I'm not promising anything."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Dude, what the hell are you going to do?" George asked Finn. The two of them were sitting in the auditorium late that afternoon, and Finn was starting to plan his cover of the popular Motown song.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked, confused.

"I mean, what are you doing to do for the song? It's not really your… style."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Is this your polite way of saying that I'm too white to sing the song. Because that's racist and I'm not having it."

George shrugged.

"Look man, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that the song is pretty different from what you normally sing. What's your angle for the song?"

Finn smiled and nodded.

"Um… I'm not doing anything too special. I've just gotta make it sexy as hell. The rest is easy."

George laughed.

"Honestly, I feel like you don't need to sing and you'll still win, purely because of the fact that nobody likes Rachel."

"I hope that doesn't happen. I don't want her making excuses when I beat her."

"Well, good luck bro. I've gotta go. Have fun."

"See you at home." Finn replied, and George left the room. Finn was granted a few moments of quiet before the door opened again. He turned around. It was Bella. Finn smiled.

"Hey babe." He said, giving her a kiss. Bella smiled. Finn's embrace was always so warm and comforting. Bella reluctantly pulled away.

"Finn?" She asked a little nervously. She was about to ask him if he wanted to have dinner with her parents sometime that week.

"Yeah." Finn responded as he pulled her into another kiss. He started kissing her neck and she moaned in ecstasy.

"I need to ask you something, but you can say no at any time." Bella took a deep breath before she continued. "My parents wanted to invite you over for dinner sometime this week. You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want to put you in a situation that would make you feel…"

Bella was cut off when Finn leaned in and kissed her. She was a little surprised, but she quickly recovered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Finn broke the kiss, much to Bella's dismay.

"I would love to have dinner with you and your parents sometime." He said with a smile.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"You seem more nervous about this than I do." Finn pointed out, laughing.

"I just don't want you to feel pressured into doing this. Like I said, I would totally understand if… "

She was silenced again when Finn kissed her. He immediately pulled her lower lip into his mouth and caressed it with his tongue. This caused her to moan into his mouth from the overwhelming sensation. Once they broke the kiss, Bella looked at him through half-massed eyes.

"You know…" she said. "Normally I would get upset about being interrupted. But if you interrupt me like that, you can do it anytime you want."

Finn just smiled at her, hugging her close for a few more moments.

"I'm already late for football. I think I'd better get going," he said. He then leaned in and kissed her gently, before walking away. Bella smiled to herself. Finn Hudson was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

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It was Friday and Bella was at home, running around and organising everything before Finn came over for dinner. Once everything was to her satisfaction, she plopped down on the couch.

A smile came to her lips as she thought about the blissful two months that she had spent with Finn. She was pulled out of her daydream when the doorbell rang. She sprang to her feet and raced for the door, trying desperately to beat her parents to it. But she was too late. Her mom got there before she could.

"Finn!" Mrs. Sutton said, opening the door and stepping aside so Finn could enter. Her mom and Finn had met a couple of times before, and Mrs. Sutton loved him. He was very different to anyone else her daughter had dated. He was a genuine, sincere person, and he clearly cared a lot about Bella.

"Hey Mrs. Sutton," Finn said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting me over for dinner."

"I'm glad you could make it." She said. "Dinner's almost ready, so why don't we go into the living room and relax for a little while."

Finn followed Mrs. Sutton into the living room, where he found Bella standing there, waiting for him with a smile. Finn smiled in return, and then turned back to face her mom.

"Mrs. Sutton." He said. "Bella won't tell me any stories about when she was younger. I don't suppose you would be willing to share a few?"

Finn noticed that Bella's smile vanished instantly. It was replaced by a pleading look. Mrs. Sutton looked at her daughter, and she saw her pleading silently with her eyes for her not too. She smirked at her daughter and turned to Finn.

"I would be more than happy too, Finn."

Apart from the stories her mom told Finn about when she was little, the rest of the night went by pretty well. Dinner was good, and her dad liked Finn immediately. There weren't any awkward silences like Bella had originally thought. Finn was great. He was talking up a storm with her mom - laughing and joking - and even her dad got involved, which seldom happened.

Bella had to smile as she watched Finn interact with her parents. Her parents had never opened up to any of her friends so easily, and never in a million years acted this way about a guy that she was dating.

The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. After dinner, everyone made their way out into the living room, where they sat and talked for another hour. Then, it was time for Finn to leave.

"Thank you for dinner." Finn said as he walked to the front door. "It was nice to see you again Mrs. Sutton, and it was really good to meet you Mr. Sutton."

"Please, call me Henry." Her dad said, much to Bella's surprise.

"And I'm Janet." Her mom said.

That was a first. Her parents never wanted her friends to call them by their first names.

Finn shook hands with them then looked at Bella. Janet pulled Henry away so the kids could have some privacy.

"I can't believe you got my mom to tell you embarrassing stories from my childhood." Bella said with a smile.

"Yeah. I particularly liked the one where you unloaded all over the priest during your baptism." Finn smirked.

"And if you tell anyone that story, I will KILL you." Bella said as she grabbed Finn's shirt and pulled him to her.

"Hey, my lips are sealed." Finn said with a smile.

"They better not be." Bella teased before she leaned up and kissed him, running her tongue along his lips in an attempt to get him to open his mouth.

Finn didn't need to be asked twice; he immediately parted his lips and deepened the kiss. He didn't want to get too carried away, especially with her parents in the next room, so he reluctantly pulled back sooner than he wanted to.

"Never mind." Finn said. "My lips are never sealed."

Bella let out a laugh before kissing him softly again.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Finn said against her lips.

"You better… if you know what's good for you." She teased. Finn winked at her as he climbed into his car, and she waved as he drove off. When she walked inside, her parents were both sitting in the living room, patting the seat opposite them. Bella sighed and sat down.

"So, what did you think of Finn?" She asked. They smiled.

"We loved him!" Janet exclaimed.

"He's such an amazing guy. He fixed my car so it doesn't sound a million years old anymore!" Henry added. Bella laughed.

"Yeah, he's pretty great." She sighed happily. How had she gotten so lucky?

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Finally, the day of the sing-off arrived. Finn and Rachel had been working extremely hard on their respective songs. Finn, by far, had the harder song, so he had to put in a lot more effort into creating his own cover. But he was overall satisfied, and couldn't wait to perform.

That morning, he left early for school, and he drove by Bella's house on the way. Recently, he had started picking up Bella for school every morning, and they would drive together. Finn rang the doorbell and shortly after, Bella opened the door. She looked so gorgeous in her simple turtleneck sweater and leggings. It was starting to get pretty cold - the first snowfall was due any day soon. Bella beamed at him, and she kissed him.

"Morning babe." She said.

"Hey." Finn smiled at her. As he looked into her hazel eyes, he could see the love in her eyes, and knew that it was also reflected in his own. She was his soulmate, his other half, simple as that.

"So, are you nervous for today?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"A little. But, you know, I believe that I'm the better singer, so hopefully you guys believe that too. But, the song's kind of annoying. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but it's very different from my normal thing."

She nodded.

"My boyfriend's singing Let's Get It On. I can't wait." She said, licking her lips. Finn chuckled. They pulled into the school gates and they walked straight to the auditorium. Rachel and Finn would not be performing in the choir room as they would be utilising the stage and microphones of the auditorium. When they walked into the room, everyone was already present, including the back-up band and Mr. Schue. Mr. Schue smiled at him when they walked into the room.

"Aah… Finn. Right on time. Are you ready for the sing off?"

Finn nodded.

"Hell yeah. Let's do it. Because Rachel is the challenger, shouldn't she go first though?"

Rachel glared at him, but Mr. Schue nodded.

"Yeah, Finn has a point. Rachel, you will be starting. Finn, you can wait backstage. Good luck you two."

Rachel barged past Finn as she walked towards the stage, and Finn walked backstage of the auditorium. Rachel began her performance.

_There's a fire starting in my heart_

_Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark_

_Finally I can see you crystal clear_

_Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare_

_See how I leave with every piece of you_

_Don't underestimate the things that I will do_

_There's a fire starting in my heart_

_Reaching a fever pitch and its bringing me out the dark_

_The scars of your love remind me of us_

_They keep me thinking that we almost had it all_

_The scars of your love they leave me breathless, I can't help feeling_

_We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_You had my heart inside of your hand (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_Baby I have no story to be told_

_But I've heard one on you and I'm gonna make your head burn_

_Think of me in the depths of your despair_

_Making a home down there 'cause mine sure won't be shared_

_The scars of your love remind me of us (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_They keep me thinking that we almost had it all (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_The scars of your love they leave me breathless, I can't help feeling_

_We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_You had my heart inside of your hand (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_We could've had it all_

_Rolling in the deep_

_You had my heart inside your hand_

_But you played it with a beating_

_Throw your soul through every open door_

_Count your blessings to find what you look for_

_Turned my sorrow into treasured gold_

_You pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow_

_we could've had it all_

_We could've had it all (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_It all, it all, it all, (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_We could have had it all (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_You had my heart inside of your hand (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_We could've had it all (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)_

_You had my heart inside your hand (you're gonna wish you never had met me)_

_But you played it, you played it, you played it, you played it_

_To the beat_

Rachel had done a relatively good job, but frankly, it was quite boring. Although she hit all the right notes, she didn't deviate much from the original and the lack of flair would probably cost her votes. Everyone clapped politely though after she finished, and she sat down in one of the seats in the audience like the rest of the New Directions, waiting for Finn to perform.

"Good job, Rachel." Mr. Schue said. "And now, our current reigning title holder for the best singer in the New Directions, give it up for Mr. Finn Hudson…"

The New Directions cheered when his name was announced, much louder than they had when Rachel's had been called. The benefits of actually having friends. Finn waited backstage for the music to start playing, before emerging from the side entrance of the auditorium rather than the stage. It meant that he started the performance by walking down the aisle of the auditorium, in the audience amongst the rest of the New Directions.

_I've been really tryin', baby_

_Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long_

_And if you feel like I feel baby_

_Come on, oh come on_

As he was about to begin the flirtatious chorus, Finn walked over to Bella and sat at the edge of the arm of the chair she was sitting in. He took her hands in his and he winked at her.

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Let's get it on,_

_Sugar, Sugar_

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Sugar, Let's get it on_

_Yeah_

_Let's Start_

At the end of the first chorus, Finn walked onto the stage. He had easily captivated the audience, and his vocals were on-point so far.

_There's nothing wrong with me_

_Lovin' you, Ooh yeah_

_And givin' yourself to me_

_Can never be wrong_

_If the love is true, Oh baby_

_Yeah_

_And I'm asking you, baby_

_I'm asking you to get it on with me, Yeah_

_OOOOOh, Baby_

Finn held the falsetto note for a long time, showing off his extremely impressive vocal range. The Glee club cheered as he began to sing the final chorus. Santana, Brittany, Quinn and Bella - the four cheerleaders of the group - got up from their seats and danced around him, adding to the really hot performance.

_Oh Let's get it on, baby_

_Yeah, Oh Let´s start, baby_

_Let's get it on_

_Sugar, Sugar_

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Yeah, Let´s get it on_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[James Arthur - Let's Get it On](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG87HXXUZ0Y)

At the end of the song, everyone knew that Finn had won. The applause he received was much, much, much louder than Rachel's, and his performance was far superior.

"Wow Finn, I feel like the temperature of the room has just increased by a few degrees. It was flirtatious, it was cheeky. Truly truly excellent work. Now, let's vote. I'm going to hand out sheets of paper in a second and you can write your winner on that."

Everyone rolled their eyes, and Puck was the person who spoke up.

"Come on, Mr. Schue. Stop wasting time. We all know who won. Can't we just verbally vote?" He asked. Mr. Schue sighed and nodded.

"OK, fine. Those voting for Rachel, say aye."

The room was dead quiet. Nobody dared move. Rachel stormed out of the room in a fit of rage, and Finn was crowned 'Best Singer in the Glee Club' for a second consecutive year.


	42. Chapter 42

One week later, the boys were playing their last regular season game of the season. They had already qualified for the Championship game, with a McKinley record number of points. It was close to the end of the fourth quarter, and McKinley was comfortably up by a touchdown. The offensive line huddled up briefly to discuss the upcoming play, and Finn spoke to his team.

"All right, I just want to take a minute to congratulate you guys. We didn't even have to win this game to go to Championship next week, but nobody took it off. And when we take a knee, we're gonna finish first in Conference for the first time in McKinley history."

"Football is back, bitches!" Puck shouted and they all cheered and grunted in agreement.

"Maybe we should all break out into a song after we win." Karofsky spat, killing their good vibes, and replacing it with pure tension between him and Finn.

"Hey, hey, shut it Karofsky." Finn growled.

"No fucking way. I figure if I stay on you, you'll run away again like a fag."

"That's funny Karofsky, how you're calling everyone gay all the time, but you never seem to have a girlfriend."

Karofsky tried to lunge at Finn, but he was held back by some of the other players. Finn and Karofsky just stared down at each other fiercely. By the sidelines, along with the rest of the cheerleaders, Bella noticed the tension in the footballers' huddle, and she turned to Santana.

"What's going on? That doesn't look good." She said, nervously. She always got extremely nervous whenever Finn was playing football, and she was always scared that he would get hurt. Santana shrugged.

"I have no idea. Looks like him and Karofsky are about to fight. But they probably won't, what with the championship game next week."

Bella nodded and looked on, nervously. It was almost like she could tell something bad was about to happen.

"I really hope that lineback doesn't get the jump on me. I bet it would hurt like hell to get sacked by him." Karofsky snarled at Finn. Secretly, Finn was a little worried. Karofsky was one of the guards, and he could easily let a defensive player through if he wanted, leaving Finn to get absolutely bulldozed by the 250 pound players. Finn briefly looked at the monstrous linebacker, and a look of fear flickered on his face. It quickly vanished though as Finn turned back to face his team.

"All right. Slot left on one. Ready? BREAK!"

"BREAK!" The rest of the team shouted.

"Come on, boys. Let's go!" Coach Beiste shouted from the sidelines. The football team got into position. There was probably only time left for one more play, and as long as the ball wasn't intercepted, they would win the game and finish on top of the division. The men all crouched and got ready for the play to begin. Finn eyed George, who he would be passing the ball to, and he nodded.

"DOWN! SET! HUT!" Finn shouted. The ball was quickly snapped to him, and he waited for the perfect time to pass the ball. He could faintly make out the guards around him jostling with the linebackers to protect the Quarterback - Karofsky being one of them. George quickly got rid of his marker, and Finn prepared to fire the ball when disaster struck…

Karofsky 'slipped' over, giving the linebacker a clear path at Finn. Finn only had time to briefly turn to see the 250 pound bulldozer charging at him, before he was knocked clean off hit feet, smashing his head HARD against the ground.

Bella was watching the game, and when she saw Finn get hammered by the defender, her heart literally stopped. She could practically hear the sound of his skull smacking against the dirt, his helmet doing almost nothing to protect him. To her horror, Finn was still motionless a minute after the tackle, his eyes glassy and blank. Coach Beiste, along with 4 members of medical staff, ran onto the field to attend to Finn. A strong beam of light was shone directly into Finn's eye, and Finn groaned and started to get up, but he couldn't. His whole body felt like it was being burnt by a blowtorch. Despite his blurry vision, Finn could vaguely see George, Liam, Harry, Santana and Bella standing over his body, along with the medical staff who loaded him into a stretcher and ran him towards the waiting ambulance.

"FUCK!" Coach Beiste muttered to herself, putting her head in her hands. Without Finn, they had no chance at the championship, and by the looks of things, they may well not have him for the game.

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"What the hell!" Coach Beiste screamed at the guys in the locker room after the game. They had ended up losing by a point, but the more important thing was that Finn was still unresponsive, in the hospital. "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!"

Nobody dared speak in fear of pissing her off even more.

"AMIZIO? HENDERSON? GEORGE?"

"Karofsky injured Finn on fucking purpose, that's what happened!"

"That's crap! Hudson's a fucking girl, and couldn't take a joke about his precious Glee Club!" Karofsky responded in anger.

"OH MY GOD! I'm so sick of you guys getting down on us for it! We're in Glee Club, what's the big deal?!" Puck screamed at Karofsky.

"It's embarrassing! We're dudes!" Azimio shouted back. "Getting all hot and bothered about singing a Ke$ha song? It's fucking weird."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you'll think it's cooler when I go all TiK ToK on your face!" Harry shouted, shoving Azimio roughly into the lockers. The other boys immediately lunged at him, and Sam, Mike, Puck, George and Liam backed up their friend. Soon, an all-out brawl had started in the locker room.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Coach Beiste shouted.

"Look…" Karofsky spat. "Championship game or not. I am NOT blocking for Hudson."

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! GO! BUNCH OF BABIES!" She bellowed. They all trudged out of the locker room, swearing furiously at one another. George punted an empty laundry bin in anger on his way out of the room.

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Finn's vision had completely blacked out when he was hauled into the ambulance. He could hear panicked voices around him, particularly Bella's, who from what he could hear, was hysterical in fear and worry. As hard as Finn tried to wake up, he couldn't, and 5 minutes into the journey to the hospital, all of his senses blacked out and he fell unconscious, oblivious to what was going on in the locker room at that moment.

When Finn woke up, his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden explosion of light. He could tell that he was in a hospital room before he even opened his eyes - the room smelled like disinfectant, and the bed he was sitting in was a traditional hospital bed. When Finn opened his eyes, all he could see was a blinding white light, and he could faintly make out Bella's face, tears stained on her pale cheeks.

"Am I in heaven?" Finn murmured, confused, as his vision slowly cleared.

"FINN!" Bella cried, and he immediately felt Bella throw herself into his arms. He groaned in pain and she jumped back.

"I'm so sorry!" She cried.

"It's fine." Finn murmured, trying to adjust to the pounding between his temples. "Where am I? What exactly happened to me?"

Before Bella could answer, a nurse appeared at the doorway.

"Aah, Mr. Hudson. You're awake." She said, happily. Finn struggled to look up at her. It was the same nurse that treated him when he got shot.

"Hi. Don't I know you?" Finn asked. He didn't know if he was going delusional or not. The nurse laughed.

"Yeah, I was your nurse when you got shot, remember? And you're back so soon? I'm beginning to think you like being in the hospital."

Finn laughed mirthlessly.

"Oh yeah. I love nothing more than being shot, and having my head smashed in. I live for the stuff." He remarked, annoyed. "What exactly happened to me?" He asked again, struggling to keep a polite tone.

"You were taken down in a bad football tackle. You have a concussion, but thankfully, nothing more than that. You did scare us though. You were unresponsive for a bit, and we didn't know if something had happened to your brain. You're fine though. Just a week of bed rest."

"But, Miss. We've got our Championship game next week, and I'm the captain and Quarterback. I can't…"

"A week of rest!" She said firmly. Finn put his head in his hands. He had let the team down, right before the big game. The game that could have earned him a scholarship to go to college. Bella put a comforting hand on his arm.

"Finn, I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I know how much you wanted to play in the Championship game."

"It's not just that." He replied. "I needed to play in the game to get a college scholarship. It's the only way I'll be able to go to college. I'm playing in the Championship game, even if I die in the process."

Bella glared at him. She was worried about him playing football normally, but playing with a concussion? That was so much worse.

"Finn. Please don't. I don't want you to get hurt." She whispered. Finn smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. It takes more than a little concussion to stop me. I'm Finn Hudson, damn it!" He exclaimed. Bella laughed and kissed him. She loved that boy, so much.

The next day, when Finn walked into McKinley, he could immediately tell that something was wrong. The hallways were quiet, with people murmured quietly to one another. Finn was walking to his first class when George ran up to him.

"Dude, you need to get to the locker room! NOW!" He shouted urgently. Finn followed him to the locker room, where he found the Glee club football players standing off against the rest of the team, with Coach Beiste in the middle.

"What the hell is going on?" Finn asked, confused.

"I'm not blocking for him!" Karofsky shouted, pointing at him.

"Shut up, Karofsky. Of course you are." Coach Beiste said, almost bored. "Fact is that this group of players are the best group that McKinley's ever had. And to throw that away for a petty feud would be stupid."

"I don't care. I'm not." Karofsky said.

"Then you're off the team." She replied, bluntly.

"No way." Karofsky said, disbelieving. "If we all quit, you don't have enough guys to play next week. It's the Championship game. You're not going to throw it away."

"Try me." She growled. Finn stepped in between them.

"Don't do this, Karofsky." Finn said. "If we stand together, and we do the halftime show, we can win this game and be kings in this place."

Karofsky thought for a moment.

"Good luck with that." He spat, and the whole team - minus the guys from Glee club - walked out of the locker room. Finn punched the wall in anger. What the hell was he going to do?

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Later that week, Santana, Bella and Quinn were sitting at the Lima Bean together, chatting about what was going on.

"Our school is so messed up, we can't even keep our own football team together." Quinn grumbled.

"It's so sad, you guys." Bella said. "Coach Beiste was so close at getting everyone at the school together."

"Why haven't I heard anything about this?" Santana asked, surprised. "I'm literally a Cheerio whose best friend's the football Captain. Why hasn't Finn told me anything about this?"

"Finn's too proud to complain." Bella said. "He feels like he needs to keep it together for everyone, but I know it's just killing him inside. He needs to win this game if he wants to impress scouts and get a scholarship."

"Yeah, well he can't really do that if we forfeit the game." Quinn pointed out.

"I just… I wish there was a way we could help." Bella murmured.

"Yeah. The worst part is how bummed the guys are. I mean, they already get enough crap just for being in Glee. I really think winning the game could have eased some of the pressure, at least for a little while." Quinn said.

"Wait, so the whole team quit?" Santana asked, really confused.

"Everybody not in Glee." Quinn replied. "I mean, you can't play football with 7 guys."

"Yeah, Coach Beiste put up a sign-up sheet for people to join. I think they'll take anyone at this point."

"Well, the good news is we actually only need 4 more guys." Santana commented. "High school regulations actually let you play a couple guys short, if you want to."

Bella and Quinn looked at each other, an idea starting to form in both of their minds.

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Coach Beiste and Mr. Schue stared at the school notice board, scowling at the football sign-up sheet, which had absolutely zero names.

"I cut 50 guys when we had tryouts at the beginning of the season. You're telling me not one of those guys wants to play?" Coach Beiste shouted at nobody in particular. Mr. Schue put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's like crossing a picket line. Nobody wants to be a scab." He replied.

"I guess we should go break it to them." Coach Beiste said. Mr. Schue nodded and they walked into the choir room to break the news to the frustrated guys…

"Why can't we let them back on the team, just for this game?" Sam complained.

"No. We carry this thing through, even if it means having to forfeit the game." Coach Beiste replied.

"I can't believe this is it." Finn grumbled to George, who was sitting next to him, both of them clad in McKinley Letterman jackets.

Bella and Quinn looked at each other. It was time to present their idea.

"Maybe it isn't." Bella said. Every eye in the room turned to her. She walked to the front of the room.

"We want to join the team." She stated, confidently. Finn and George put their heads in their hands.

"We, who?" Puck asked, confused.

"All of us Glee girls." Quinn said, standing up and walking next to Bella. "We want to join the football team, and we want to play in the championship."

"Come on guys. Stop screwing around. It's not cool." Liam snapped, annoyed.

"What's not cool is you guys not respecting women enough to realise we're perfectly capable of playing football." Tina argued.

"Have you guys actually seen a tackle football game before? When they tackle, it hurts." Harry remarked.

"Yeah, and if our strongest player got concussed, I don't even want to know what's going to happen to my girlfriend and her friends, all of whom weigh like half of what we do." George added.

"We're not being disrespectful to women." Finn said. "We just don't want you guys getting your spines snapped by a 300 pound linebacker."

"We thought about that." Bella replied. "But the truth is that you guys don't really need us to play. You just need enough players out there to field a regulation team. So when they snap the ball, we're just going to lie down on the ground."

"Oh, I'm not. I'm gonna bring the pain." Santana hissed.

"I guess they won't get hurt if they stay down." Coach Beiste said, standing up.

"Okay, what do your parents have to say about this?" Mr. Schue asked.

"We all have signed permission slips from them." Tina replied. "It took some convincing, but they understood what it means to all of us."

Mr. Schue collected all of the permission slips, then turned to Coach Beiste.

"What do you think, Coach?" He asked.

"Um… I don't know." She said. "I'm still not totally convinced. Finn, you're the captain. What's your opinion on this?"

Finn sighed.

"Look, trust me when I say this: nobody wants to play and win this game more than I do. I NEED a scholarship if I want to go to college, and that's not gonna happen if we have to pull out of the game. But what's more important to me is that the people I care about don't get their heads caved in by these mega-hulk footballers. So I'm sorry but I vote no. You're the coach though, so it's your opinion that matters."

Coach Beiste thought intently for a bit, weighing out the pros and cons of having the girls play. Finally, she came to a decision."

"Girls… welcome to the football team." Coach Beiste said. Finn, Mike and George - the three guys who were dating the girls who volunteered to play - put their heads in their hands, but the others cheered. They were playing in the championship game!

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The crowd cheered as the male McKinley football players walked onto the field. There were just seven of them, and the thousand people in the stands echoed their appreciation for the team. As Finn was warming up his left arm at the sidelines, Karofsky and some of the other guys who quit walked up to him.

"It's not too late." Finn said.

"How the hell are you going to play with 7 guys, huh?" Karofsky spat. Finn pointed behind Karofsky. He turned around and saw the Glee girls walking onto the field, fully decked out in football pads, cleats and helmets. Karofsky laughed uproariously.

"You have got to be kidding!" He laughed.

"What the hell are they doing?" Azimio asked.

"What you don't have the balls to do." Finn replied, before walking away. He joined the rest of the football team, and they huddled up to discuss their first play.

"Punch and Judy on 3. Ready… BREAK!" Finn shouted, mainly addressing the guys, as the girls had no idea about any of their plays.

"BREAK!" They all shouted, and split off into their positions.

"Who's Judy?" Tina asked as they all crouched down, ready to start the play. Finn rolled his eyes. The opposing team, only a couple of inches away, chuckled at the lame McKinley team. This was the Championship game, and they had tiny girls playing for them! Finn forced all of the doubts out of his head, and he shouted to start the play.

"BLUE 42! BLUE 42! HUT... HUT... HIKE!"

The ball was snapped to Finn, and the two receivers, George and Puck, sprinted away. Sam, Mike, Puck, Liam and Harry were in charge of guarding the Quarterback. As soon as the opposing team pounced, the girls screamed and lay flat on the ground. Ball in his hands, Finn watched the run of both Puck and George, looking for an opening to pass, but unsuccessfully. The opposition had clearly done their homework - they knew that George and Puck were the two speediest receivers, so they marked them fiercely. Not able to find a pass, Finn saw one of the defenders break free from Sam's guarding, and charge towards Finn. Finn was forced to throw the ball, but it was an inaccurate pass. George wasn't expecting it, and he fumbled it, leaving the other team free to grab the interception and sprint to the end zone.

**0 - 7**

They had conceded a touchdown on their first play! This was not going well. Finn hit the dirt in frustration.

"DAMN IT!" Coach Beiste shouted, flipping the Gatorade table in her fit of rage. She blamed the football players who were standing on the sidelines, refusing to play for petty reasons. Just before halftime, McKinley were down 0-21, showing no hope of a comeback. Finn knew that they needed a new plan. DESPERATELY. He needed to stop thinking about college scouts, and think about what would be best for the team, even if it meant him having no chance of earning a scholarship. He probably wasn't going to get one at this rate, anyways. Suddenly, he had an idea! He ran to the huddle to discuss their final play before the referee blew for halftime.

"OK, guys. How's everyone doing?" He asked, mainly talking to the girls.

"Kill me now, I'm gonna die." Mercedes panted.

"Is anyone else tired of lying down all the time? I want to play." Bella exclaimed.

"Just… don't get ahead of yourself, okay?" Finn said. "But I do have an idea. Sam, you're playing quarterback for the rest of the game." He said. Even that caused an uproar within the team.

"Wait, what?" Puck shouted.

"Why?" Sam asked. Even he was confused. Their only hope of winning was Finn pulling a bit of magic out of his sleeve with his throwing.

"Just trust me. Look, we know that passing is not going to get us anywhere when only 2 people are looking to receive the ball. We need run plays, and good ones. No offense to anyone here, but I think I'm probably the strongest person here, so I'm going to become a running back. Sam, when you snap the ball, immediately fake a throw and hand the ball off to me. Or, throw me a short pass. We'll go from there. Ready… BREAK!" He shouted, more confidence in his voice this time.

"BREAK!" They all chanted. The crowd was a lot quieter at this point. They knew that they didn't stand much of a chance of a comeback. Liam stood over the ball, with Sam directly behind him, ready to receive the snap.

"HUT… HUT… HIKE!" Sam shouted, and the ball was snapped to him, setting the play in motion. With a quick burst of pace, Finn made a sweeping run around the back of Sam, who faked a pass and then handed the ball off to Finn, perfectly. Phase one was complete…

The next bit was all up to Finn. He had 40 yards to run, and he was being converged on by 6 opposing players. Putting his head down, Finn forced himself to barrel forwards like a battering ram, running straight through anyone who dared to try and tackle him. He shoulder tackled at least 4 people before reaching the end zone, and casually walking in.

**6 - 21**

The McKinley crowd were all on their feet, finally starting to believe in their team. Nobody was happier than the players on the pitch though. Finn also scored the field-goal with a two point conversion run, making the score 8 - 21. Finn high-fived every member of his team as they walked back to the locker room for the half-time break.

When they came back through the tunnel after the break, they were feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to fight tooth and claw for the comeback. Sure enough, by the time the referee blew the whistle for the last time, McKinley had scored 4 more touchdowns - making the final score 38-28. They had done it! STATE CHAMPIONS! Finn accepted the trophy and raised it high in the air, staring straight at his ex-teammates, who were watching in horror as they received their medals. Finn was also awarded with Finals MVP and Season MVP awards. Although Finn didn't generate any interest from college scouts, he was still really happy. That was tomorrow's problem. He had tonight to just enjoy himself. As Finn finally left the school and walked to his car, he was met by Bella, who leapt into his arms and kissed him fiercely.

"Babe. That was incredible! You destroyed them!"

Finn laughed.

"Well, I've got you to thank. Without you guys, we wouldn't have been able to play at all."

"What can I say? I'm a catch." She giggled, twirling around.

"Yeah, you are." Finn murmured, pulling her into another kiss. "Would you like me to drop you home on my way home?"

"No," She said, bluntly. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Umm… ok?" He said. She laughed and pulled him close.

"I want you to drive me home, and come inside with me. My man won the championship today, and I want to make him feel like a winner tonight." She whispered into his ear. Finn raised an eyebrow. They had gotten as far as third base, and Finn was a real gentleman and never in a million years would he rush her into going all the way. That was one of the many things Bella loved about him.

"Don't have to tell me twice." He joked, opening up the passenger door for Bella. She laughed and stepped into his truck. They chatted randomly during their drive home, and soon, they pulled up to Bella's driveway. The lights of her house were all off, and she unlocked the door herself.

"My parents aren't home." She explained. "They're in the Bahamas for a second honeymoon this week."

As soon as she said this, she felt Finn picking her up, and throwing her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes. He rushed up the stairs, two at a time, while she pounded furiously on his back.

"Finn Hudson, you put me down right this second!"

"That's a negative, Bella. I'm a soldier on a mission."

"What's the mission, to get in my pants?"

She could almost hear his smile in his tone. "Affirmative."

She rolled her eyes liberally, glad he couldn't see her face. He burst into her room and tossed her onto the bed like she was a toy, and her butt bounced on the fluffy comforter.

"Hey! Watch it you giant brute! I'm a lady." She looked up at him from the bed and he'd already removed his runners and shirt, revealing a white wife beater. She couldn't help but lick her lips. Although she had seen him shirtless a lot, she never got over the sheer attraction she felt whenever she looked at him.

She watched as his gaze turned predatory, and he inched closer to the bed while unbuttoning his pants. Delicious tingles of anticipation set her body ablaze as he reached forward and took her into his arms, reaching for her clothes, trying to remove all the boundaries between them.

"You're damn right you're a lady." He captured her lips in a passionate kiss, stealing her breath away from her. "You have no idea how much I need you right now." His voice was deep and husky with lust, and she could feel all of her control slipping away.

"I know, I need you too." She purred.

He smiled as he shook his head as he reached for her sweater, pulling it off to reveal her lacy bra. He kissed the skin on her neck, trailing kisses down her shoulders. "You are so perfect. So pretty. So awesome." He reached behind her to unclasp her bra, removing the garment and tossing it aside. She felt his arms wrap around her body tightly, and he began to kiss her naked skin hungrily, the need overtaking him.

"I'm right here, Finn. I'm all yours."

And with that, Finn pounced, swallowing her moans in a kiss and burying himself in her love.


	43. Chapter 43

Before Finn knew it, they were pretty far into December and they were getting ready for Christmas break. The Glee club were in the choir room, putting up and decorating a gorgeous fern Christmas tree and singing goofy Christmas songs, when Mr. Schue walked into the room.

"Hey guys, what's this?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Oh, we're trying to get into the Christmas spirit, Mr. Schue." Brittany replied.

"Well, that looks beautiful." He commented, admiring their Christmas tree. "Wait, where did you get a tree from?"

"George and I picked one up for us last night." Finn explained. "I'm working at the Christmas tree farm over the holiday so we got this tree practically free."

"Why are you working at the Christmas tree farm?" Rachel asked, incredulously.

"Well I kinda need the money." Finn said. "And it's pretty fun. All I do is lug Christmas trees around all day and sing random christmas songs."

"And where did you get the ornaments from?" Mr. Schue asked, confused.

"The guy who lives next door finally killed off his elderly mother, and when they carted him off, they left the house wide open, so…" Santana said. Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"Uh… and the presents?" He asked, pointing to a couple of wrapped presents that were under the tree.

"I lifted them from a display at the mall. But don't worry. They're empty." Puck said.

"Look guys, I appreciate the effort, but this isn't what Christmas is supposed to be like." Mr. Schue said.

"For us, it is. This tree is like a mascot for Glee club. We won Sectionals two years in a row, and according to everyone at this school, everyone in this room but Finn still sucks." Mercedes complained. Everyone turned to Finn, who was playing Hand Slap with George. He looked up at them.

"Well it's not my fault I know how to play football!" He exclaimed. "And I still get my fair share of hate. In case you've already forgotten, we lost our whole football team right before the Championship game, just because Karofsky didn't want to play in the same team as me."

Everyone nodded and turned back to Mr. Schue. Mr. Schue shook his head furiously.

"No, no. I am not gonna let you guys throw yourselves a pity party. Look, I'm the first one to say that things haven't turned out exactly how I would have liked them to this year, but Christmas is all about being grateful for the things that did."

"I thought that was Thanksgiving." Harry remarked.

"And this year…" Mr. Schue continued, ignoring the remark. "Glee club is going to lend a hand to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth program right here in Lima."

"How are we going to do that?" Rachel asked.

"The only way we know how - by singing about it!" Mr. Schue exclaimed. "We're going to go classroom to classroom, carolling to raise money for McKinney-Vento."

"Wait classrooms in this school? With like, students in them?" Tina asked in disbelief.

"Well, if there are no students in them, there will be no one to put money in the collection box while we sing." Mr. Schue said, matter-of-factly.

"We're gonna get killed." Quinn grumbled.

"Yeah, Mr. Schue, as the only ex-homeless person and ex-street busker here, I know how rough audiences can be. I've had my collection pot burnt, used as a garbage can, poured water in, one guy even crapped in the pot. He literally took a dump in the pot I was collecting money in! And after all of that, even I'M saying that this is going to be suicide." Finn argued. Everyone murmured in agreement.

"Well, I hear you, but I also hear the many, many homeless people who won't get fed on Christmas. Finn, you said it yourself, you used to be homeless. Didn't you always wish that more people would do stuff like this?"

"No, actually, from my experience, you would earn money having just George, Liam, Harry and I busk on the streets for a couple of hours than have the whole school donate money."

"That's impossible." Mr. Schue scoffed. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah. Wanna bet on it? I bet you that after 4 hours of performing, we'll have earnt more money than the rest of you walking classroom to classroom." Finn challenged Mr. Schue.

"Woah, woah, woah. Why can't we busk with you?" Quinn asked. "You being sexist, Finn?"

Finn shook his head.

"No, I'm not. I'm bringing George with me, aren't I?" He joked. Everyone laughed and George shook his head.

"Uncalled for, bro. Uncalled for." He stated. Finn shrugged.

"No lies on Christmas." He said, and everyone snickered again. "Anyways, I say just the four of us because A, we have more experience performing together than we do with the rest of you. And B, when I was living on the street, I learnt that girls and women are, in general, are a lot more generous when it comes to donating, and they're more likely to donate to four straight guys, than a crowd of 16 people." Finn said.

"That's not true!" Artie exclaimed.

"Dude, I'm not saying it's good, or that it's always the case, but in many situations, it is. Trust me, I'd know." Finn replied.

Mr. Schue thought for a moment.

"OK, Finn. You've got a deal. If New Directions earn more, you have to donate an extra 50 bucks from your own pocket. But if your boys earn more, I'll donate an extra 50."

Finn shook hands with Mr. Schue.

"Deal. We'll start at 1 pm on the dot, and end at 3 pm. Best of luck to you guys."

With that, Finn and the 3 other boys walked out of the room, and out of the school gates. Mr. Schue then turned back to the rest of the New Directions, who were looking even angrier.

"Mr. Schue, why would you do that?" Santana asked, annoyed.

"Why not? You guys are going to earn a ton of money. Trust me." He said. Mercedes shook her head.

"No, we're not. The only chance we had was if we still had Finn. At least, if we didn't earn any money, we could have auctioned off a date with Finn or something."

"HEY!" Bella exclaimed. "Nobody's dating my boyfriend but me!"

"Whatever." Mercedes replied. "All I'm saying is we're screwed."

"Guys! Stop the negativity! We've got this." Mr. Schue tried to encourage them. "Now let's get rehearsing…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

A couple of minutes later, the New Directions had decided on a song, and entered their first classroom. It was a sophomore history class, so thankfully there was nobody in their grade present. The xylophone player began the accompaniment, and they started singing.

_Haul out the holly_

_Put up the tree before my spirit falls again_

_Fill up the stocking_

_I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now_

"BOO!" Someone shouted from the back of the room.

"You suck!" A red-haired girl who was sitting closer to the front shouted. Okay, not a great start, but they could still turn it around. They continued.

_For we need a little Christmas_

_Right this very minute_

_Candles in the window_

_Carols at the spinet_

"Who goes carolling with a band?" Someone shouted, jeeringly.

"I'd seriously rather be learning." A girl said.

_Yes, we need a little Christmas_

"You're making me hate Christmas!" An african american boy from the side of the room shouted.

_Right this very minute_

_It hasn't snowed…_

**For the actual song, click:**

[Glee - Need a Little Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt-I-VNmDHM)

Suddenly, something hard hit the snare drum. The teacher had thrown her shoe at them. HER SHOE! A TEACHER! Not even a student. Before they themselves could be pelted, they made a beeline.

"Go, go, go!" Puck shouted as they ran out of the room.

"YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! LEAVE! I HATE YOU! YOU SUCK!" The students jeered as they ran back to the choir room at the end of the corridor.

"I can't believe that that teacher let those students speak to us like that." Rachel exclaimed, appalled.

"I can't believe she threw her shoe at us." Puck added.

"Finn was right. Audiences can be such bitches sometimes." Bella grumbled.

"I guess we're done caroling." Tina laughed. "Why don't we go and see what the guys are up to?" She suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement, and even Mr. Schue joined them as they left the room.

"Tina…" Sam said as they were walking out the room. "You just referenced Finn, George, Harry and Liam as 'the guys'. So what does that make us? And keep in mind, your boyfriend is among us!"

Everyone laughed and Tina blushed.

"Whatever. You all know what I meant."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Ok guys. We've already got 60 dollars and we've been carolling for about half an hour. I feel like we can stop if we want." Harry said. Finn shook his head.

"No, we gotta continue. Please. I know I was disagreeing with Mr. Schue in there, but when I was homeless, I really did want something like this, not just around the holidays, but all throughout the year too. But I never had it."

"So you were lying to Mr. Schue?" Liam asked, smirking at him.

"Negative." Finn responded. "I just knew that we could earn money singing from out here. So I hustled Mr. Schue into letting us perform here. Now come on. I can see the New Directions walking towards as from across the street. Let's start singing."

George turned on their speaker, and the backing track started. The four boys held mics, which were connected to mics to amplify their performance.

**Liam:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

**Harry:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

**Finn:**

_Bought me a diamond ring for Christmas_

_I feel like I'm in paradise_

Just then, a young woman dropped a note into their donation bucket. It was a 5 dollar bill!

"Thank you ma'am! Have a nice day!" Finn called after her. She nodded and waved.

**George:**

_I feel mighty fine, y'all_

_I've got music on my radio_

**All:**

(radio)

**George:**

_Feel mighty fine, girl_

_I've got music on my radio, oh, oh, oh_

**Finn:**

_I feel like I'm gonna kiss you_

_Standing beneath that mistletoe_

**Liam:**

_Santa came down the chimney_

_Half past three, y'all_

**Finn:**

_Left all them a good ol' present_

_For my baby and for me, ha, ha, ha_

The New Directions had just spotted them, and they walked over to walk the performance. Bella couldn't help but smile as she watched her boyfriend. He looked so… in his element. Without a doubt, she thought that Finn would be able to somehow make a living off music, whether it be as a singer, producer, song-writer or any other profession in the industry.

**All:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

_You bought all those good ol' presents_

_I love you, baby, rest of my life_

**Liam:**

_Santa came down the chimney_

' _Bout half past four_

**Harry:**

_Left them all them presents for me_

_Lying on the floor_

**Finn:**

_I said Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

_You bought me a diamond ring for Christmas_

_Now I feel like I'm in paradise_

**George:**

_Yea-ea-ea-eah. I feel like I'm in_

_Paradiiiiise_

**Liam:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure you treated me well_

_I said Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure you treated me well_

**Finn:**

_Sure did treated me we-e-e-e-e-ell_

**Harry:**

_Well yeah bought me a brand new watch for Christmas_

_And I feel like I'm in paradise_

**Finn:**

_(Feel like I'm in paradiiiise)_

A couple more donations were made as the boys prepared to go into the outro of the song. The New Directions were clapping and nodded their heads to the music, and Mr. Schue watched them with a smile on his face. It was performances like these - laid back and relaxed performances - that he realised how much talent was in the Glee club, and how much potential they had to win Nationals.

**All:**

_Merry Christmas Baby_

_Merry Christmas Baby_

_Happy New Year Baby_

_Happy New Year Baby_

_Happy New Year_

_May the good lord be with you_

_May the good lord be with you_

_May the good lord be with you_

**For the actual song, click:**

[X Factor 2012 - Merry Christmas Baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy4tTM45Nzo)

Once they finished fading out the song, the four boys turned to the rest of the group.

"Hey guys, don't you have another hour and a half of caroling left?" Liam asked. The rest of the group shook their heads.

"No, we got booed off and a shoe thrown at us during our first performance. We stopped there. We didn't earn a single penny." Mercedes said.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that." Finn said. "You guys finally understand what I meant when I said that audiences are dicks?"

"We do, and we'll never doubt you again!" Puck exclaimed. Everyone laughed.

"Well, in 45 minutes, we earnt…" George said, counting the money in his hands. "74 dollars, 50 cents, and a phone number from a girl called Maggie, which is addressed to… the sexy, tall brunette in the navy coat."

Everyone laughed, and Finn blushed as he knew that it was clearly addressed to him.

"I'll be taking that, thank you." Bella said, taking the slip of paper from George. She threw it in a nearby bin, annoyed. She always got pretty jealous whenever she heard other girls flirting with Finn, despite how much she tried to hide it. Of course Finn never flirted back, and always told girls that he had a girlfriend whenever he was hit on, but there was always that voice at the back of Bella's head that told her… what if Finn finds someone better? Hotter. Smarter. But the fears were easily put out of her mind whenever Finn kissed her, or told her that he loved her.

"So what are you guys doing this afternoon?" Mr. Schue asked. "It's Christmas eve, and your holiday has officially just started."

"I'm doing nothing." Mercedes said.

"Nothing."

"Nothing."

"Nothing."

Everyone echoed what Mercedes said. It was Christmas eve, so nobody was doing anything special. Well, nobody but Finn, George, Harry and Liam.

"Well, I mean, the four of us are. We're doing what we do every Christmas eve."

"What's that? Drink yourselves blind?" Puck asked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What? No! Who do you think we are? We're going to the paediatric cancer ward and we're bringing joy to some of the patients. We sing carols and hand out gifts and stuff. You guys are welcome to come with us if you want." Finn said.

"That's amazing, Finn!" Mr. Schue said, really shocked but impressed.

"Yeah, that's really nice. Can I come?" Bella asked. Finn nodded.

"What about me?" Santana said.

"And me." Brittany said.

"And me." Quinn said.

George smiled and nodded at them. The rest of the group passed up the opportunity, which was unfortunate, but not the end of the world. The 8 people who were volunteering at the hospital got in their cars, and they drove to the hospital. Finn, George, Liam and Harry had experience in Christmas volunteering in the hospital - both in Lima and back when they lived in Canada - but the girls had all never done this before. They parked their cars and they walked into the hospital together, George holding a small speaker, and Finn holding an opaque black duffel bag.

"What's in the bag, babe?" Bella asked, curiously.

"You'll see in a bit." Finn replied, and he didn't say anything more. They walked into the hospital reception, and the receptionist smiled at them.

"Ah, Finn! George! Harry! Liam! Welcome back. The kids are going to be so happy to see you again. And I see you brought friends with you. Right this way guys."

The McKinley students were led down the hall, and they stopped in front of a translucent door with a large plaque at the front. PEDIATRIC CANCER WARD - LONG TERM CARE, the sign read. Finn left his bag just outside the room, and the 8 of them walked in.

As soon as they walked into the room, the kids screamed in excitement.

"Hey everybody!" Finn said, hugging and high fiving everyone. The kids clearly loved the four guys, and they quickly warmed up to the 4 girls as well. That was the great thing about young children. They weren't yet scarred with the horrors of the world. Instead, they were kind, innocent and full of love.

"Are you guys excited for Christmas?" Harry asked them. They all cheered and shouted 'YES!'.

"Well that's good." Liam said. "Because, you know, I was talking to Santa earlier today, and he told me that you were all so nice this year! And he said that he might even come and visit later today! Do you guys want that!"

"Yes!" They shouted.

"You just have to do one thing though. You have to sing Christmas songs with us. Can you do that?"

"Yes!" They all screamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. Can you do that?"

"YES!" They all cheered, louder this time.

"All right!" Liam exclaimed. The 8 young adults took their seats all around the room, next to the children. Finn and Bella sat next to each other, and two young children immediately crawled into their laps. Finn instantly recognised one of them - an eight year old boy named Niko, who had been in the ward last year as well.

"Hey Niko. How are you man?"

"I'm good." He said, cheerfully. Finn smiled. He loved how happy the children were, despite their scary predicaments.

"Have you been good this year?" He asked. Niko nodded.

"I've been very good. I was the star of the week 3 times this year!" He said, proudly.

"3 Times! That's amazing, man. Up top!" Finn said, and the kid high fived Finn. Bella smiled as she watched Finn interact with the kid. He was so amazing with young children, and she couldn't wait to have kids of their own with him in the future.

Liam hooked up the speaker, and played the first Christmas song. It was the ever popular Christmas song: Frosty the Snowman. The whole room, containing the children, young adults, and the childrens' parents, sang together as one.

_Frosty the Snowman_

_Was a jolly happy soul_

_With a corncob pipe and a button nose_

_And two eyes made out of coal._

_Frosty the Snowman_

_May the children laugh and play_

_And were they surprised when before their eyes_

_He came to life that day._

_There must have been some magic_

_In that old silk hat they found_

_For when they placed it on his head_

_He began to dance around._

_Oh, Frosty the Snowman_

_Was alive as he could be_

_And the children say_

_He could laugh and play_

_Just the same as you and me._

_Frosty the Snowman_

_Knew the sun was hot that day_

_So he said let's run_

_And we'll have fun._

_Before I melt away._

_So down to the village_

_With a broomstick in his hand_

_Running here and there all around the square_

_Saying catch me if you can._

_He led them down the streets of town_

_Right to the traffic cops_

_And he only paused a moment when_

_He heard him holler stop._

_Frosty the Snowman_

_Had to hurry on_

_But he waved goodbye_

_Saying don't you cry._

_I'll be back again some day_

_Thumpety, thump, thump_

_Thumpety, thump, thump._

_Look at Frosty go_

_Thumpety, thump, thump_

_Thumpety, thump. thump_

_Over the hills of snow._

At the end of the song, the whole room cheered. They proceeded to sing We Wish you a Merry Christmas and Santa Claus is Coming to Town in quick succession, and the kids were having a great time. They absolutely loved the teens.

"I'll be right back." Finn whispered in Bella's ear after the song, and he stood up.

"OK, kids! I've gotta go now. Merry Christmas everybody!" He exclaimed.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" They all shouted, and they all gave him a hug. Finn was their favourite of all the teens - there was just something about him that made them love him so much. Finn walked out of the room. He quickly grabbed the duffel bag and ran to the hospital bathroom to change.

Five minutes later, Finn was fully decked out in a full Santa costume. He was handed the sack of presents by the hospital staff, and he was wearing the costume, complete with the red and white suit, massive belt, extra stomach padding, hat, boots, glasses, and of course… the signature white beard. He knocked on the door of the pediatric ward.

"Who's that? Could that be Santana" George asked the children from inside the room, knowing full well that it was Finn dressed up as Santa. The children all stood up in excitement as Finn burst into the room.

"HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" He bellowed.

"SANTA!" The kids screamed, sprinting over to hug him. Bella and all of the other teens couldn't help but laugh slightly at their friend making a fool of himself, but it was for a good cause, so they weren't going to tease him for it. Besides, nobody could say that he was a bad Santa: he was actually a really good one!

"Hi kids!" Santa Finn exclaimed. "Have you all been good this year?" He asked.

"Yes!" The kids screamed. Finn clapped his hands.

"That's good, because I have presents for all of you! Gather round kids while I give you all your presents. You know, I loved reading all of your letters to me. It helped my little elves make exactly what you wanted for Christmas."

"Yay!" They all shouted. Finn sat down and each kid sat on his lap, telling him what they wanted for Christmas. Finn would then grab the gift that was addressed to them, which was actually from the hospital staff or the kid's parents, and he would give it to them. The kids absolutely loved it! After about a half hour of sitting and singing Christmas songs and eating cookies and milk with the kids, Santa Finn stood up.

"Ok everybody. I've Got to go now! I need to get all the way around the world tonight, and with all of the delicious cookies I ate, it's going to take me a while." He joked, shaking his fake belly. The kids all laughed.

"Bye Santa!" They all shouted and waved. Finn waved back at them and left the room. He quickly then changed his clothes and walked out of the hospital, and was quickly joined by his friends, who were all floating on air after their good deed. Finn and Bella got into Finn's car, and Finn drove her home. When they arrived, Finn got out of the car to say goodbye. They stood outside on the porch and Bella wrapped her arms around Finn's neck, their freezing cold faces touching as they kissed.

"Thank you so much for bringing me today, Finn. That was just… I don't even know how to describe it. It was…"

"Awe-inspiring?" Finn suggested. Bella nodded. "Yeah, the guys and I have done it the past 3 years in a row, both in Lima and in Canada, and you never lose that speechless feeling. Thanks for coming with me. The kids loved you."

"Me? They absolutely adored you!" Bella replied. "You're so amazing with young kids. And you're Santa was pretty good as well."

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, it's always fun dressing up as Santa and surprising the kids. Oh, speaking of Santa, I do have one more gift delivery." Finn said, popping the trunk of his car and taking out a small box. Bella, with shaking hands, opened the box. It was a thin gold bangle, personalised with the phrase 'All my love. F xox.' scribed into it. Tears sprang to Bella's eyes at the gorgeous gift Finn got her.

"Finn, I don't know what to say. Thank you so much." She whispered. Finn smiled.

"There's one more gift. It isn't as big though." He said, grabbing another small box from the car. Bella opened it to reveal a leather AirPods case, with heart engraved on the front, and her initials engraved in the heart. "I know how much you were complaining that you kept confusing your airpods with other peoples', so hopefully this makes yours unique."

Bella threw her arms around him.

"Thank you so much, babe. I have your gift inside. Just give me a second." She said. Finn nodded, and she dashed inside and reappeared a moment later with a wrapped gift in her hands. She gave it to Finn and he opened it. It was a new watch! Finn smiled widely at her.

"I love it. Thank you so much, babe." He said. It truly was Finn's best christmas ever - he was dating the love of his life, living with his best friend, he had just won the MVP award in the Ohio High School football league, and the Glee club were in good stead for Regionals. Everything was going so well. Hopefully that streak of good fortune wouldn't come to an end…


	44. Chapter 44

The short Christmas break passed extremely quickly, with Finn spending most of his time with Bella and her family. Finn had built a really good relationship with Bella's parents, and they really liked him.

Sooner or later, it was time to go back to school and before Finn knew, he was sitting in that choir room once again. The whole Glee club were sitting in the choir room, looking extremely blurry eyed and tired. Mr. Schue bounded into the room, a huge smile on his face.

"Hey guys, how were your Christmases?" He asked them.

"Good." They all replied.

"That's good. Now prepare to work harder than you ever have in your lives. Football season is done, and we have Regionals coming up. Finn, I'm sorry to say this, but you're no longer getting the solo."

Rachel jumped up.

"Thank you for finally seeing sense, Mr. Schue! So what song am I singing?" Rachel asked.

Finn rolled his eyes and ignored her.

"Umm… ok? May I ask why? Did I do something wrong?" He asked. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No, you didn't. I just received a letter from the National Show Choir board with a theme for Regionals. Apparently, our 'solo' number can't be a solo: it has to be a boy band or girl group number."

He walked over to the board and wrote down the title of the lesson.

**BOY BANDS & GIRL GROUPS**

"Ok, so who's performing the number?" Tina asked. "The boys or the girls?"

"Well…" Mr. Schue said. "What I thought is that we split you guys up into two boy bands and two girl groups, and each of the 4 groups perform a song. I'll choose the best one and they get to perform at Regionals, and possibly Nationals."

Finn, George, Liam and Harry smiled at each other. They had the competition in the bag. The New Directions quickly split into the four groups. The first contained Bella, Santana, Brittany and Quinn - group named Rhythmix. The second contained Mercedes, Tina, Kurt and, to their annoyance, Rachel. They didn't have a group name yet. The third group was Puck, Sam, Mike and Artie, and they called themselves One Direction. The final group was, of course, Finn, George, Harry and Liam, whose group name was All Stars.

"Woah, woah, woah. Mr. Schue? How is this fair?" Mercedes exclaimed. "Finn and that group have been singing together a lot longer than we have. They have an unfair advantage!"

"How is that unfair?" Harry asked. "If the winner of this contest gets the solo for Regionals, aren't we looking for the best group to represent us?"

"No, the girls are right." Mr. Schue said. "Look, I don't want to split you boys up, as I think you sing amazingly together, but I've got to give you some kind of handicap to level out the playing field. Does anyone have any ideas?" He asked the group.

"Why don't we say that Finn can't solo?" Rachel suggested. George shook his head.

"Now that's just ridiculous. We should be able to choose who in our group solos!" He replied.

"OK, how about we get to choose their song for them?" Quinn suggested. Mr. Schue vetoed this idea, much to the relief of the 4 boys. A couple more ideas were bounced around, before Tina thought of the best one.

"How about they can choose their own song, BUT, it has to be a song from a musical?" Tina suggested. Everyone nodded and Mr. Schue turned to the four guys.

"Is that OK with you?" He asked. They shrugged.

"I mean, it's not ideal." Harry said. "But we'll make it work."

"Good. Now get rehearsing! You'll perform at the next rehearsal!"

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The 4 groups split up to rehearse. Mercedes and her group called dibs on staying in the choir room, Puck and his group went to the auditorium, Finn and his group left and didn't mention where they were going, leaving Bella's group wondering where they should go rehearse.

"Why don't we practise on the basketball court?" Santana suggested.

"Nah, it smells like feet in there. Anywhere but the basketball court." Quinn replied.

"OK, what about an empty classroom?" Brittany said.

"We can't. Classrooms aren't soundproof, so people will hear us. And you remember what happened during the christmas caroling!" Bella complained. "How about outside, by the bleachers. It's calm, it's quiet. Nobody will disturb us."

The girls nodded and walked outside. When they made it to the field, they realised that it was already occupied. Finn, George, Liam and Harry were kicking around a soccer ball, clearly not rehearsing, just having a good time. When they spotted the girls, they walked over to them.

"Hey guys. What are you guys doing here?" George asked, kissing Quinn. The two of them had been dating for around as long as Finn and Bella had, and both couples were going great.

"Well, we were looking for somewhere to rehearse. What are you guys doing, and don't say rehearsing because you clearly weren't."

"Nah, we don't really need to rehearse. We've sung enough songs together to know how to work together, so we're just messing around now." Finn replied.

"You guys are too overconfident. We're going to beat you, and you guys are going to feel so sorry for yourselves." Quinn said, confidently. George raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, is that so, babe? Care to bet on it?" He challenged.

"What did you have in mind?" She asked.

"How about this? If we win, you have to get a spray tan in a shade of my choice, and if you win, I have to get one in a shade of your choice. And, bonus, I'll shave my head bald."

Quinn thought for a moment.

"Well, I know that we're going to win…. So…. you've got yourself a deal, George Shelley." She said. "Now girls, let's go rehearse! We have a competition to win!"

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"Welcome back guys! Are you all ready to perform?" Mr. Schue asked the New Directions. They all sat in the auditorium, waiting to perform with their respective groups.

"Yup." They said. Mr. Schue nodded.

"That's good. Now, each of you nominate a leader for your group, and leaders, come to the front of the room so we can decide the performance order."

George, Quinn, Mercedes and Puck walked to the front of the room. Five minutes later, George walked back to the group.

"4th. We're going fourth!"

Finn, Harry and Liam smiled at each other. Last is definitely the best spot to be performing in. They had the opportunity to watch everyone else perform, and it helped show them what they had to measure up to. Puck's group went first, and they sang a sub-par cover of The Scientist by Coldplay. They won't definitely not be soloing at Regionals, and they knew it. Their performance was a bit of a joke. The second group to perform was Quinn and Bella's group. The guys sat up a bit straighter in their seats. This performance could possibly determine whether George would have to shave his head bald and dye his skin a grotesque color. The girls put on an edgy and flirty performance of Toxic by Britney Spears. It was pretty good, but Finn knew that his group was better. The third group was Mercedes' group, who were probably the least prepared group. They sang Royals by Lorde, and it was pretty bad. Finn and his group stood up and walked on stage for their performance.

**Finn:**

_O-o-o-o-oh_

_Oo-oo-oo-oh_

_Oo-oo-oo-oh_

_Oh_

**George:**

_I don't want to talk_

_About the things we've gone through_

_Though it's hurting me_

_Now it's history_

**Finn and Liam:**

_I've played all my cards_

_And that's what you've done too_

_Nothing more to say_

_No more ace to play_

**All:**

_The winner takes it all_

_The loser standing small_

_Beside the victory_

_That's our destiny_

**George:**

_I was in your arms_

_Thinking I belonged there_

_I figured it made sense_

_Building me a fence_

**Finn:**

_Building me a home_

_Thinking I'd be strong there_

_But I was a fool_

_Playing by the rules_

**All:**

_The winner takes it all_

_The loser standing small_

_Beside the victory_

_That's our destiny_

_The winner takes it all_

_The loser standing small_

_Beside the victory_

_That's our destiny_

**Finn:**

_The winner takes it all_

**For the actual song, click:**

[Union J - Winner Takes it All](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFMU-yrqQ8c)

From the first verse of the song, Quinn knew that Team George had won. The four boys' voices gelled perfectly together, they had so much chemistry, and they had so much more experience performing as a group. Despite the fact that they were disadvantaged, the boys still put on a world-class show. Mr. Schue stood up when they were done performing, and he faced the group.

"Well, guys. I've made up my mind. The group performing at Regionals will be… George and his boys. Congratulations guys!"

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"Babe, please don't make me spray tan my skin." Quinn said. Quinn was sitting on George's bed, and the two of them were about to go out for dinner. George laughed and pulled his girlfriend into a kiss.

"OK, fine. But you owe me, babe." He said. Quinn breathed a sigh of relief and deepened the kiss.

"I swear, I'll make it up to you." She whispered seductively. George nodded. Suddenly, Quinn's face dropped, and George noticed.

"Babe, you okay?" George asked, concerned. Quinn took a shaky breath and a tear ran down her cheek.

"George… I… I need to tell you something. And when you do, you're going to want to break up with me." She stammered. George raised an eyebrow.

"Can I be the judge of that? What did you need to tell me?" He asked, getting a little nervous.

"I was with someone," Quinn blurted out, her words clear and crisp. George stopped pacing around the room and stood still, processing the bombshell that was just dropped on him. He was angry, confused, betrayed and hurt beyond belief. It was Sam, he knew it.

"It didn't mean anything, it was just a drunk hookup ok," Quinn continued. That didn't make it any better. George swallowed thickly as he tried to hold back tears, it might have hurt less if it had been with someone his girlfriend didn't know. But with an ex-boyfriend? It was heartbreaking. He vaguely heard her talking, trying to defend her actions, expressing that she was drunk to which George scoffed haughtily.

"The fact that you said it didn't mean anything is incredulous, you know how much our relationship means to me. How you could just throw that all away, I'll never understand. You think I haven't had girls hit on me? Of course they have! I've had temptations but I resisted because I knew in my heart that they could never compare to you-"

"I'm so sorry." She sobbed. George shook his head.

"You don't get to play the victim, Quinn." George spat. "Why?" He growled.

"I was drunk, I was feeling fat that day, you weren't there."

"No why that guy, why couldn't you have called me, if you were so sure you couldn't resist you should have called me and we would have worked it out. We see each other pretty much every day. I work two jobs, play on the football team, sing in the Glee club, and I still find time to take you out on dates and maintain a relationship. For you to stand there and say that I wasn't around and never there for you," George spat, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," Quinn cried, reaching out to hold George's hand, but he jerked it away.

"How long ago?" George asked.

"Huh?"

"HOW LONG AGO? HOW LONG AGO DID YOU CHEAT?" George shouted.

"It was one time, a month ago." She murmured.

"A MONTH AGO! And you didn't feel the need to tell me until now! You know what, we're done. Get the hell out of my house. NOW!"

George kicked a crying Quinn out of the house, and he trudged back inside. He collapsed on his bed and a few tears rolled down his cheeks. A couple of minutes later, Finn knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Hey man, can I talk to you about somethi…"

Halfway through his sentence, Finn noticed his friend's expression and he walked over.

"Dude, you okay?" Finn asked, concerned. George shook his head.

"No. No, I'm not. I broke up with Quinn." He murmured. Finn's eyes widened.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"She… she cheated on me."

Finn put his head in his hands. He should have seen this coming. He genuinely thought Quinn had changed since last year, but clearly once a cheater, always a cheater.

"Dude, can I do anything to help? We can burn any photos of Quinn you have, if you want. Trust me, from my experience, it helps."

George laughed.

"Yeah, let's do that. But what do I do with the clothes she left here? I feel like I shouldn't burn them." George said. Finn nodded.

"I know. I have an idea. Just give me a minute."

**One minute later.**

"Boom! Here it is. I call it Quinnpillow." He said. George looked at it and couldn't help but laugh. Finn had stuffed a couple of pillows into a cardigan and leggings that Quinn had left at his place.

"Um… ok. What do I do with this?" He asked, confused. Finn smiled.

"Well, you beat it up. It relieves stress and anger. Just try it."

George sighed and stood up, facing Finn, who was holding Quinnpillow in front of him. The two boys circled each other and Finn started shouting instructions at George.

"Right hook! Right hook! Uppercut!" He shouted. George complied, beating up the pillow sack. He had to admit, it did feel good, and it helped him work through the intense anger he was feeling.

"Jab! Jab! Jab, Cross!"

This went on for about an hour, before they got tired, and George collapsed on his bed, falling asleep pretty quickly. The day had taken a huge toll on him. Finn walked back to his own room, the army brochure still burning a hole in his pocket. He was going to tell George today, but he couldn't. Not after what he just went through with Quinn. Anyways, there would be lots of time to tell him, wouldn't there?


	45. Chapter 45

The next morning, Finn woke up earlier than George, and as he waited for George to come downstairs, he didn't know what to expect. George had been through emotional hell the day before, and there was no telling how messed up he would be. To Finn's huge surprise, George came downstairs perfectly groomed, with a huge smile on his face.

"Morning." Finn said, surprised.

"Morning." George replied, then noticed the questioning look on Finn's face. "What?" he asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just… Why aren't you more sad?" Finn asked. "I mean, your girlfriend of 6 months just cheated on you. You just broke up last night. You seemed much more emotional last night."

George shrugged.

"Only way to move on is to move on, right?" He replied. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What? So you're gonna hook up with other girls?" Finn asked.

"Maybe. I'm no longer dating anyone, so there's no guilt involved. Clearly she didn't have the same reservations." He muttered. Finn looked at him and realised how hurt his friend was, even if he wasn't showing it on the outside. Finn put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, man. Can you do me a favour?" He said.

"Sure, what is it?" George said.

"Don't hook up with another girl for at least the next two weeks." Finn raised a hand to silence George's protests. "Just hear me out. I know how much you cared about Quinn, and when she cheated on me, I know how upset and miserable I was, despite the fact that I didn't really have feelings for Quinn. I can't even imagine how I would react if Bella cheated on me. Anyways, I know what it's like after a break up: you want to show her that you've moved on by hooking up with random girls, and it's going to bite you in the back right when you and Quinn are about to get back together, which I know you will. Give it two weeks for all of your anger and emotion to settle. After that point, if you still have no feelings for Quinn and you want to hook up with other girls, go right ahead."

George sighed and nodded.

"Fine. I won't. But by god am I going to flirt with the Cheerios." He exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"You got it. Now let's get to school. We've got Glee this morning."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

When they arrived at school, George and Finn split up, George heading straight for the choir room, and Finn looking for Bella. He found her pretty quickly by her locker, and he kissed her. She beamed at him. Seeing Finn first thing in the morning was always the highlight of her morning.

"Hey babe." She said.

"Hey." Finn murmured against her lips. "Have you seen Quinn this morning or last night?"

Bella stepped back and broke the kiss. She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry. You're kissing your girlfriend and you're asking her about your ex?" She asked. Finn laughed.

"Come on, babe. You know you're the only girl for me." He laughed, brushing a hair behind her ear as he cupped her face in his hands. "I was just asking because her and George broke up last night."

Bella's eyes widened.

"Wait, what? You serious?" She exclaimed. Finn nodded.

"Apparently she was drunk and on him with Sam sometime last month." He said. Bella gasped.

"Oh my god." She cried. "Is George okay?"

"OK as he would be, 12 hours after breaking up with a girlfriend. All I know is Glee's going to be interesting for the next little while."

Bella laughed.

"It sure is. Now come on. We've gotta go."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

In the choir room, the Glee club were all gossiping about what had happened the night before. Finn hated gossip, and he didn't engage in any of the gossip, despite how much he was asked. Quinn hadn't entered the room yet and when she did, Finn couldn't help but feel bad for her.

She was clearly a wreck. Her eyes were raw from crying, she wasn't wearing any makeup, and her clothes were all creased. She looked like crap, simple as that. Finn side glanced at George, who he could see was trying hard not to comfort his ex-girlfriend, and was currently winning the internal battle. At that moment, Mr. Schue walked into the room, and his smile immediately faded when he noticed the tension.

"Guys, what happened?" He asked, cautiously.

"George and Quinn broke up last night." Tina explained. Mr. Schue nodded in understanding and looked at the two students, a sympathetic look on his face.

"I'm so sorry guys. Are you okay?" He asked. George forced on a smile and nodded, whereas Quinn didn't even try to hide her misery: she shook her head.

"Look, I'm truly sorry for the two of you - you were a great couple - but we've got Regionals coming up, and I need you all to promise that personal drama isn't going to affect your performance."

Everyone nodded.

"You got it, Mr. Schue." Mercedes said. "That's why we're not choosing sides during this breakup. So that there's minimal tension within the group."

"I'm sorry, choosing sides?" Mr. Schue asked confused.

"When two people break up and they have a lot of mutual friends, it usually puts the friends in an awkward decision, especially when it's not a clean breakup. They have to choose sides, and choose which friend to stick by. In this situation, to prevent the Glee club being split into Team George and Team Quinn, none of us are choosing sides." Kurt explained. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Woah, woah, woah. I never agreed to that." Finn exclaimed. "Of course I'm going to choose a side. George is like my brother. Why would I side with the girl who cheated on both me and him within the span of one year, over the side of the guy who's my best friend, and is practically adopting me for this year."

"Well you don't really count, Finn. You're Quinn's ex boyfriend and George's best friend. It'd be kinda weird if you sided with Quinn." Puck said, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, and what about us?" Harry and Liam said. "We're sticking with our boy too. I'm sorry Quinn, you seem like a pretty nice person, but we're not about to side with you over our best friends."

"Well I, personally, am siding with Q. I've known her since kindergarten, and it's similar to Finn and George - I consider her a sister." Santana said.

"Oh my god, you guys! You have all basically just picked sides! You ruined the plan!" Artie said. Finn shrugged.

"Look, can we just agree that break ups are ugly - especially ones that end due to infidelity - and only time can really fix it." Finn said. "If George and Quinn can be civil towards each other, I don't see why the rest of us can't be, even if we are taking a side."

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Well said, Finn. Very well said. Now, for today's lesson. After listening to all of these drama stories, I feel like I know a good artist to cover. It's the artist who is most famous for singing about heartbreak and past relationships." He said. Everyone looked confused.

"Kanye?" Puck asked, stupidly. Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Camila Cabello?" Tina suggested.

"J Lo?" Mercedes suggested. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No, Taylor Swift!" He exclaimed. Everyone had an 'oh' moment for a second, then most of the girls perked up, and the guys slumped in their seats.

"You guys don't look happy." Mr. Schue commented. The guys nodded.

"We're not." Mike said.

"Yeah, why are we doing Taylor Swift?" Puck asked. "Can the guys do something else? Taylor's all girly and sings about her feelings and crap. We don't want to sing about our feelings."

The rest of the guys nodded and backed Puck up.

"Guys, Taylor Swift Is an icon. She sings about real life experiences and stuff that people can relate to. You all need to learn about that in order to keep singing amazing songs for competition. So think about what Taylor Swift song you want to sing. Dismissed."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"So what song are you singing for Glee, Quinn?" Bella asked. The two girls were sitting in Quinn's room that afternoon. Quinn wasn't really listening to Bella - she was too busy thinking about the break up and how stupid she was for cheating on such an amazing guy. When Bella said her name, Quinn was pulled from her thoughts.

"Huh?" Quinn said. Bella sighed and smiled sympathetically at her best friend. She repeated her question and Quinn nodded.

"Yeah. I'm going to sing Back to December." She replied. Bella noticed that Quinn's voice was dangerously shaky, like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.

"Look, Quinn…" Bella said. "What you did was wrong. Like really wrong. George has every right to not want to be with you…"

"Get to the point." Quinn snapped. Bella nodded.

"But I know how much he cared about you, and you him. Because of that, I feel like you will probably get back together at some point. But you throwing yourself at him while he's still getting over you is not going to help. Just take a step back and let him cool down before pursuing him again."

Quinn nodded.

"I just miss him so much." She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. Bella hugged her friend. She couldn't even imagine the pain that Quinn was feeling. If she lost Finn, she would literally die. But then again, it was Quinn who cheated, so the pain was partially deserved. Still, it was hard to watch her best friend hurting so badly.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"OK, who wants to go first?" Mr. Schue asked the next day. Finn, George, Liam and Harry put their hands up.

"Um… we'll go, I guess." Liam said. Mr. Schue smiled and nodded as the four boys took to the stage.

"So, what did you guys choose to sing?" He asked.

"Um… we're singing Love Story." Harry said. The music started shortly after.

**George:**

_We were both young when I first saw you_

_I close my eyes and the flashback starts_

_I'm standing there_

_on a balcony in summer air_

**Finn and Harry:**

_See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns_

_See you make your way through the crowd_

_And say hello_

_Little did I know_

**Finn:**

_I was Romeo, I was throwing pebbles_

_Your daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"_

_You were crying on the staircase_

_Begging me please don't go_

_And she said_

**All:**

_"Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone_

_I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run"_

_I'll be the prince and you'll be the princess_

_It's a love story, baby just say yes_

**Finn:**

_I get tired of waiting_

_Wondering if_

**Finn and Liam:**

_you were ever coming around_

**Finn:**

_My faith in you was fading_

_When I met you on the outskirts of town_

**George:**

_I will save you, you've been feeling so alone_

_I've been waiting for you but you never come_

**Liam and George:**

_Is this in my head?_

_I don't know what to think_

_I knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said_

**All:**

_"Marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone_

_I love you and, that's all I really know (really knooooow)_

_I talked to you dad, go picked out a white dress_

_It's a love story, baby just say._

**Finn:**

_Ye-s_

_Oooooooh_

_Ye-e-s_

**All:**

_We were both young when I first saw you_

**For the actual link, click:**

[Union J - Love Story](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89qs-aUdiOs)

At the end of the song, the whole room clapped loudly. The boys had done a great job. With tears in her eyes, Quinn ran out of the room. George watched her leave, an unreadable expression on his face. All the New Directions knew was that the next couple of weeks were certainly going to be very interesting.


	46. Chapter 46

"Mr. Schue! Please can we take a break! We've been rehearsing for ages!" Liam exclaimed. Their preparation for Regionals had just begun, and Mr. Schue scheduled extra morning and evening rehearsals for the 4 boys. They would arrive at school every morning at 6 am, and rehearse for a couple of hours in the morning, and they would end up leaving school at around 6pm, squeezing in an extra 2 hour rehearsal after school.

"Yeah, we've been rehearsing for so long!" George added. Mr. Schue shook his head furiously.

"No! We've gotta keep on going! This is our final chance to take Nationals before you all graduate, and we need to be absolutely perfect to be able to challenge Vocal Adrenaline for the title. We got so close last year, and this is our year. I can feel it!"

The four guys sighed and got back in position to restart the song. Despite the fact that there was little to no choreography in their performance, Mr. Schue had to make sure they hit every single note perfectly. Finally, a long hour later, the boys were finally allowed to leave.

"Jesus Christ, that was rough." Harry commented out of the room.

"Yeah no kidding." Liam added. "I got to sleep every night worrying that my vocal chords won't be working the next morning due to exertion."

The other three guys muttered in agreement. They then split up - George and Finn got into one car and Harry and Liam got in another. Finn drove back to George's house, and when they arrived, he looked at George.

"Hey dude, can I talk to you about something?" Finn said, hesitantly. George looked at him curiously.

"What's up, bro? Is it about sex? Cause if so, there's no way I'm listening." George exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"No, I swear it's not. Trust me, I don't need any help in that area. It's about my future. I know what I'm doing next year."

Everyone in the New Directions was starting to look at colleges for next year. Rachel and Kurt, if course, wanted to make it on Broadway so we're looking at colleges in New York; A lot of the Cheerios and football players were looking for scholarships which probably none of them would get; George, Liam and Harry all planned on going back home for college - they were going to University of Toronto. Finn was still "unsure" about his future - he knew what he wanted to do, but was scared to tell anyone. He didn't have the money for college, and he hadn't earned a scholarship, so that left just one more way for him to be able to escape Lima and see the world - the military. He wanted to tell George first, and get his advice before telling Bella and the rest of his friends.

"Oh yeah? Did you get a scholarship?" George asked excitedly. Finn shook his head.

"No, no I didn't, and by now, it's extremely unlikely that I'm going to. So I've found an alternative."

"Really. What?" George asked.

"Well, I received my fifth college rejection letter today, and I'm running out of options. My grades aren't good enough, and a football scholarship ain't happening. We did have some recruiters at the town hall a couple of weeks ago, and I went by and talked to one of them."

"I thought you said a football scholarship wasn't happening. Which schools were the recruiters from?" George asked, hopefully.

"The recruiters weren't from schools, dude. They were from the military. I talked to the recruiter from the Army and I'm thinking about enlisting. I wouldn't have to leave for boot camp until August when Bella leaves for college."

George's face went pale.

"No. No. Hell no! There's no way you're being serious right now. I mean the Army? Come on, get your head out of your ass."

"Dude, you know I didn't get a scholarship. I've accepted that. I don't have the money for college! Hell, I don't even have the money for community college!"

George stopped pacing, and looked at Finn with nothing but desperation and fear in his gaze.

"Everyone is leaving." Finn continued. "You, Liam, Harry, Bella, even Puck and Sam! I don't want to be stuck in Lima without an education or a career. I think this is my one good shot to make something of myself."

"Look dude, I know I can't stop you. I'm not your mom."

"No, you're not. But you're my brother, and it would really mean a lot if you could support me. You know, be ok with this."

"Finn, no matter how many stupid things you do, I'm always going to support you. But I'm not, and never am going to be okay with this. What about your mental health? You already suffer from depression, and it's only going to get worse when you're sent to a shit hole like Afghanistan." George shouted.

"I spoke to the recruiter about that." Finn replied. "He says that as long as I haven't had to endure in-patient care at a hospital, I'm still eligible to enlist. And as for after, there are various initiatives that are set up for veterans with PTSD."

George took a deep breath and put his head in his hands. He couldn't believe what he was listening to. His best friend was joining the Army. What the hell was going on?!

"And what about Bella? Does she know yet, Finn? How do you think she's going to feel when she finds out her boyfriend wants to join the Army?"

Finn winced from the sting of truth, knowing full well that if his friend was this angry, Bella would probably be much, much worse.

"She'll understand. She has to. She always understands me."

Saying it with all the conviction in the world, he knew it was the truth. Bella had always known what he was thinking, feeling. Hell, she knew better than he did most of the time. They were always in perfect sync with the other, something that had kept their relationship strong for the past 7 months. "I have to do this, dude. If I ever want to have a life with Bella after she's done with school, then I need to have an education and a career. The Army can give that to me. I'll go for a few years, come home, and they'll pay for my entire education. And you know how bad things are getting in the Middle East. The Army needs recruits, and being a soldier is in my blood. My dad was a hero - it was only after his enlistment that he became a psycho."

"Yes, Finn. A psycho! One who beat up and almost killed his son! What if you see some bad shit down there, and you become like him? Is that what you want? Is that what you want for Bella?"

"George, I have to do this. I need to do this."

George looked up at him, and he could hear the anguish in his tone.

"Why? Why do you have to throw yourself in a war zone? What possible reason do you have to justify this?" George challenged.

"Because I know I'm more than just a dumb jock who wasn't good enough for a scholarship!" Finn shouted. He continued, lowering his tone. "Bella is going to NYU. NYU, dude! The best school in New York City. What's going to happen when she gets there? She's going to meet a million other guys who are just as awesome as she is, and she's never going to pick a Lima Loser over them. I need to prove to her, and to myself, that I can be responsible and successful. I just need this chance."

George sighed.

"Look dude, it's like I said before, I know I can't stop you, and I'm going to support your decision, but I'm not happy about it."

Finn let out a huge sigh of relief. He had the backing of his best friend. Now to tell Bella. That was not going to be a fun conversation.

"So, when are you telling Bella?" George asked, reading his mind. Finn shrugged.

"I'll tell her a bit later, when my enlistment is confirmed. No point getting her worked up over nothing. I've already filled out all of the forms and assessments, and my recruiter says that I'll most likely make it, but there's always a chance that something goes wrong and I don't get an enlistment offer. I should get the call from my recruiter in the next few weeks, so PLEASE don't tell anyone. Not even Harry and Liam. Just keep it between us until I tell everyone."

George reluctantly nodded.

"OK, fine. Good luck with telling Bella. That's gonna be a fun convo. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for it."

Finn laughed.

"Thanks, man. I'm gonna need all the luck I can get. But I've still got a week or so before the recruiter's due to call, so I've got a while to plan what I'm gonna say."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

**A week later**

On Friday afternoon, exactly a week after Finn's talk with George, Finn and Bella were in Finn's bedroom, getting ready to go out for dinner.

"Hey babe, I'm just going to use the bathroom real quick. Then we can leave." Finn said. Bella nodded as she lay on his bed. Finn walked out of the room, leaving his phone on his desk. While he was in the bathroom, his phone rang. Bella ignored it and waited for Finn to come back, but when it kept ringing, she eventually answered the phone on his behalf.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hi. This isn't Finn Hudson." The person on the other end of the line said. It was a very gruff sounding man, definitely not a teenager. Probably an adult.

"Um… he isn't here right now. This is his girlfriend. Can I take a message?" She asked, politely.

"Yeah, actually. Please let him know that it's Jared, his recruiter, and that his paperwork went through. We would like to offer him an enlistment in the U.S Army starting August 1st, and he needs to sign the final contract any time in the next two months…"


	47. Chapter 47

" _Yeah, actually. Please let him know that it's Jared, his recruiter, and that his paperwork went through. We would like to offer him an enlistment in the U.S Army starting August 1st, and he needs to sign the final contract any time in the next two months…"_

Bella's head started spinning. She felt like she was about to pass out. Her face had gone pale, and her mouth had run bone-dry. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"OK, thank you. I'll let him know." She said, forcing herself to keep it together until she hung up the phone. Once she was off the phone, she started to sob. She couldn't keep it together - the love of her life not only wanted to leave her, but wanted to spend the next few years of his life getting shot at by some of the worst people in the world. At that moment, Finn walked into the room and when he saw Bella crying, he ran over.

"Babe! Are you OK? What's going on?" He asked, extremely concerned about his girlfriend, who was sobbing her eyes out. Bella's sadness suddenly switched to a burst of anger, and she stood up and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of her hand making contact with his face rang out like a bomb and echoed through the house. Finn, taken by surprise, stumbled back, confusion written all over his face. Upon hearing the slap, George rushed into the room.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, and then took in the scene. "What in god's name is happening?"

Realisation suddenly took over Finn.

"You know… I think… I think Bella found out about my next year's plans." Finn replied. Bella's eyes widened and she turned to George.

"YOU KNEW? AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!" Bella screamed, lunging at George. Finn grabbed her around the waist and held her back. Finn mouthed the word 'LEAVE' to George, and George didn't have to be told twice. He ran out the room, and then Bella turned to Finn.

"Are you serious, Finn? The Army? If you want to break up with me, just do it. Don't join the Army! Please." Bella begged and Finn's heart shattered. Seeing Bella so upset literally killed him.

"Babe, I'm not kidding. It's been in the works for the past month."

"A MONTH! Why didn't you tell me?" She cried.

"It's not confirmed yet. My recruiter should be calling in the next little while to confirm that I passed the application process. Wait, how did you find out about this?" Finn asked, confused.

"Your recruiter called. He said that you've been accepted. And you can come in to sign the contract any time in the next month. But you're not going to sign it! I won't let you!"

Finn sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, babe. I've gotta do this."

"You could get yourself killed Finn Hudson! And PTSD! Your own father suffered from it after serving in the Army!" Bella said in a panic.

"Bella, I could get hit by a bus in downtown Lima tomorrow. I'm doing this for the future. Our future."

"If you do this, we may not have a future. Finn, you're the most important person in the world to me. I can't lose you. You can apply to other colleges. You can apply for grants, and scholarships, and college loans. You could stay here in Lima and work in Kurt's dad's tire shop. Or you could come with me! We could get a bigger apartment. That would be so perfect!"

"And do what while you're in class or studying? I'm not going to ride your coattails for the rest of my life! I have to be my own man. I want to do something that makes me feel good about myself. I want to do something I'm proud of!"

"I'm already so proud of you. You don't need to go off to a war and get yourself killed or shot up," Bella begged as the tears increased. "How long are you even gone for."

"Not too long. Just until you finish college, so four years."

"4 YEARS?! I can't believe this is happening right now-ow-ow!" She sobbed. Finn could only comfort his girlfriend. He honestly thought that he was going to break and just give in to Bella's pleas. Bella sat on his lap, on his bed, sobbing uncontrollably into his embrace as he rocked her back and forth, trying to calm her down. He could feel his heart clenching in his chest at the sound of her heaving breaths, and his shirt was soaked with her tears. She fell silent, crying endlessly, collapsing into herself as he held her tightly.

He'd never seen her cry like this before. He had seen Bella scream, rage, storm out, and pout, but she never hysterically cried like this before. At least, not in front of him. He barely knew what to do. So he just held her and let her cry it all out.

"Shh, Bella, It'll be okay." He didn't think it was possible, but she started to cry even more. A harsh, sharp sob of hysteria escaped her lips as she clutched his shirt in her fists.

"How can you say that? How can you say that you going to the Army is okay?" She looked up at him and her eyes were bloodshot and liquid with tears. "You don't know that, Finn. I can't even begin to think about what could happen to you."

"Don't, Bella, I'm going to be fine." He rubbed her back in soothing circles that had little to no effect on her hysteria.

"You don't know that! Anything could happen Finn, it's war! You know how bad things have been getting over there in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It just keeps getting worse!" He knew deep down she was right; terrorist activity had been increasing steadily over the year, which was the main reason the Army needed recruits.

"Bella, I didn't get into school. You know that. I don't have any other choice."

"Of course you have a choice! You could find a trade, get a job, do something in Lima."

"I refuse to be stuck in Lima pumping gas and changing tires when I could be making something out of myself." He held her close to him, kissing her face in every spot he could reach. He kissed her temples and her hair. He kissed the tears that trailed down her face. He kissed her full, pouting lips, petal-soft and sweet like honey. "Bella, I'm doing this for us. For our future. I refuse to hold you back. When I get back, I'll go to school, and we can start a life together. You'll see. It'll all be perfect, I have it all planned out."

"But life doesn't always go as planned, Finn. We've been together for a while now, and you should know by now that you could never hold me back. I love you."

"I love you too, Bella. But I can't just sit by and watch all my friends move on without me. I have to move on as well. And then we can be together, I promise."

"I love you so much, Finn Hudson." She murmured into his now wet shirt.

"I love you too, baby. Don't you ever forget it."

"So when do you leave?" Bella asked, sniffling.

"August 1st." Finn replied. "I did it so we'd be able to spend the summer together before we both leave."

"That's great. I'm going to spend so, so, so much time with you until you leave!" Bella exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"I think I can live with that." He joked, and the two of them fell back on the bed, their dinner plans long forgotten.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Ok guys. You guys ready for today's rehearsal?" Mr. Schue asked during the next morning's rehearsal. Finn suddenly stood up. It was time to tell the Glee club. He had spoken to his recruiter in detail right after talking to Bella, and he had found out that he had officially been offered a spot in the United States Army, and when he came in to sign his contract, he would endure a final medical examination and be fitted for his fatigues. Because his enlistment was all but confirmed, he decided that it was time to tell the rest of the Glee club. He knew that Santana, Liam and Harry in particular would not take it very well.

"Um… Mr. Schue? Can I say something real quick?." Finn said. Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"Sure, the floor is yours." He said, stepping aside. Finn nodded and walked to the front of the room. He then faced the choir room. Everyone but George and Bella sported faces of confusion.

"Guys, I have an announcement." Finn started, but was immediately cut off by the New Directions guessing what the announcement was.

"You got a scholarship?" Puck guessed. Finn shook his head.

"You got a record deal?" Kurt guessed. Finn laughed.

"Dude, I wish. No, I haven't been given a record deal."

"You and Bella got hitched?" Tina guessed.

"What? NO!" Bella and Finn both said simultaneously.

"You're pregnant?" Brittany guessed, decisively. Everyone fell silent and looked at Brittany. Finn laughed.

"Britt, you calling me fat?" Finn asked, looking down at his torso, which was completely shredded; not a gram of fat was there.

"No, I think that she genuinely thinks you could be pregnant." Santana said. "Britt, guys can't get pregnant."

"Wait really?" Brittany asked, stupidly. Everyone put their heads in their hands.

"Anyways, what was your announcement?" Quinn asked. Finn took a deep breath.

"Ok. As you know, I don't have much, well any, money to spend on college, and I didn't get a football scholarship. I don't want to be stuck in Lima for the rest of my life pumping gas at the side of the highway, so I've decided to take action. I'm getting out of here, and there's one way that I'll be able to do that. I'm enlisting for a 4 year stint in the Army, starting right after graduation. After I get discharged, provided I'm not killed in combat, the Army will pay for my college tuition so I'll be able to get an education."

Nobody spoke. They all had different reactions, ranging from admiration to worry, to full-on depression in the cases of Liam, Harry and especially Santana. Santana actually stormed out of the room, tears in her eyes. Brittany immediately stood up to go after her girlfriend, but Finn gently held her back.

"Britt, is it okay if I go after her, in a minute? It's my fault she's pissed after all."

Brittany nodded and sat back down. People started asking Finn rapid-fire questions.

"When did you decide to enlist?" Sam asked.

"Last month. You all were talking about college, and I knew that this would be a way out of Lima. I went to the town hall and spoke to a recruiter."

"When did you tell Bella? You've clearly already told her otherwise she would be a lot more pissed." Kurt commented. Bella and Finn laughed.

"Yeah, um… I told Bella last night. She handled it surprisingly well, given the circumstances. George is the first person I told though. I told him like a couple of weeks ago. Look, I'll answer the rest of you another time. I'm going to go find Santana."

Finn left the room and walked around the whole school, looking for Santana. She wasn't in any of the classrooms, the basketball court, auditorium, or anywhere else. Finally, Finn walked outside and checked the fields. He saw a latina Cheerio sitting high up in the bleachers and he walked up to her.

"Hey." Finn said, simply. He didn't quite know what to say, and he was hoping that Santana would steer the conversation.

"Why?" Santana asked. "Why are you joining the Army, Finn?"

A few tears splashed onto her Cheerios skirt. Finn put a comforting arm around her and he hugged her tightly.

"Santana, I'm sorry. This is what I want to do. What I need to do. The Army will give me a way out of Lima, and a way to earn a college education. It will give me a chance to fight for the States, and finally give me the opportunity to be good at something."

"I understand that, but the Army? Seriously? There's nothing else you could have done. I can lend you money for college. I've saved up quite a bit, and I'm sure I can borrow some from my family."

Finn smiled faintly at her.

"That's really kind of you, but I don't think so. I genuinely want to do this. And it's not like I'm going to be completely isolated from you guys. Sure there will be some rough days, but I'll still have a phone and I can talk to you guys. You're like my sister. I love you"

Santana gave him a crushing hug, and Finn felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulder. He had finally told everyone about his future. He was going to fight for this country, like a damn hero. But first, he was going to fight for the New Directions in the upcoming Regionals. That needed to be his main focus.


	48. Chapter 48

Mr. Schue went all-out in their preparation for Regionals. He had booked the four soloists gigs all over town, to help them prepare for playing in front of the audience. They had performed at the city center, town hall, mall, public library and were about to try performing in a pub. Secretly, the rest of the New Directions were jealous of all the attention the boys were getting, but they all knew that the boys deserved it: they were the group's ticket to Nationals, and the boys needed to be firing on all cylinders if they wanted to capture the prestigious title of Show Choir Champions. The pub they were about to perform at was called MacLaren's Pub - it was one of only three bars in Lima - and the four boys drove there together the morning of their performance.

"Guys, I feel kinda bad for the rest of the New Directions. I mean, the four of us are not even originals - we're new students - and yet we're getting the star treatment. It's not really fair, is it?" Finn said. The other guys nodded.

"I agree with you, but are you seriously complaining? It's Mr. Schue's problem." Harry said. Finn nodded.

"I know, but I don't want any tension between the group right before Regionals. Well, more tension. There's already quite a bit, courtesy of you." Finn said, patting George on the shoulder. After Quinn and George's breakup, despite the fact that the New Directions said that they wouldn't take sides, they ended up doing exactly that. Everyone in the group acknowledged that Quinn had made a huge mistake, but a lot of the girls who were on Quinn's side believed that George should have forgiven her by now. "Speaking of which…" Finn continued. "Do you think you're going to get back with Quinn? Because if so, you should probably do it soon. She's not going to wait forever."

George shook his head.

"No. No I'm not."

The three guys looked at him, shocked. They had assumed that the two would eventually find their way back to each other.

"Wait… what? Why not? You two seemed so happy together!" Liam exclaimed. George nodded.

"I know. I really do like her. But I'm not about to get back together with her, only to dump her in two months when I graduate and move back home for college." George said.

"You know there's something called long distance, right?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know, and I also know how hard it is. And it'll be damn near impossible with us in different countries. It'll only be a matter of time before one of us breaks up with the other, or worse, cheats."

Finn laughed nervously.

"Well that's reassuring to know, especially given that I go into a long distance relationship with my girlfriend after graduation."

George shook his head.

"Nah, Finn, you have nothing to worry about. You and Bella are going to make it. You two are made for each other. I just don't think Quinn and I are."

They arrived at the pub shortly after, where they were met by Mr. Schue. As under 21 year olds, they had to wait until Mr. Schue arrived to be granted entry. The bar was packed - it was a Friday night and a lot of people were unwinding with a couple of drinks after a long week. The bartender walked over to them when they arrived.

"Ah… Will! Right on time." The bartender said.

"Hey Carl. Great to see you. And thank you so much for this. This is the band I was telling you about. Meet Liam, Harry, George and…"

"Finn Hudson! How's it going buddy?" The bartender exclaimed, shaking Finn's hand. Finn smiled at him, and other three guys + Mr. Schue raised their eyebrows.

"You know him?" Mr. Schue asked Finn, confused. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I perform gigs here once a month, to earn some extra pocket money." Finn explained.

"He's everyone's favourite performer." Carl added. Finn smiled at him and nodded. "Anyways, boys, please get ready. The mics are already set up. You have a 45 minute gig, starting in five minutes."

The four singers nodded.

"Good luck! You'll do great!" Mr. Schue called as they took to the small stage. They could feel every eye on the bar watching them as they prepared to sing their first song…

Despite their nerves, 45 minutes later, they had completed an incredible set. They were given a huge round of applause as they stepped off the stage. The four boys high fived one another and celebrated. They always felt such a rush after a set, whether it be in an auditorium in front of a thousand people, or in a bar in front of mostly drunk men.

"Well done boys. We're definitely ready for Regionals next week." Mr. Schue said.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The day of Regionals was a cold, damp Saturday. The New Directions all gathered at the gates of McKinley High extreme early that morning (at 6 am) , ready to embark on the long drive all the way to Louisville. What made it even worse was that Mr. Schue ordered the four soloing guys on vocal rest until the competition. Finn, George, Liam and Harry weren't allowed to speak, and had to rely on hand gestures to talk to people. The first hour of the drive was quiet - most people just slept - but after an hour, people started to wake up and chat. Finn, who was sitting next to George, was getting quite annoyed about the forced vocal rest. However, they made it to Louisville relatively soon, and they got changed and walked into the greenroom. Rather than wearing button down shirts, trousers and ties like they normally did, they were allowed to wear clothes that reflected their personalities, provided that it fit the colour scheme. Finn was wearing a simple long sleeve t-shirt and jeans, clothes that he wore all the time. While they were sitting in the greenroom, Mr. Schue came in to give some final advice and instruction.

"OK guys. You've all performed in this setting before. You've got it. You all know how to sing amazingly, just show the audience that. I love you guys." He said.

"Some more than others." Mercedes muttered. Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" Mr. Schue said, surprised.

"Oh come on, Mr. Schue!" Rachel exclaimed. "You clearly have favourites! Like remember when you booked us that bar gig? Oh wait… we weren't invited to that. It was just Finn, George, Liam and Harry."

"Yeah. And I loved when you got us the mall gig! Oh wait… again just Finn, George, Harry and Liam!" Sam added. Finn, George, Liam and Harry looked down. They knew that the New Directions had a point. They couldn't even defend themselves as they knew that anything they said would sound extremely cocky. Luckily, Bella came to their defense.

"Hold on, guys! That's not fair! Mr. Schue just wants to help us make it to Nationals. So, so what if he works more with the soloists?"

"Mr. Schue…" Mercedes said, standing up. "You once said that if all we cared about is winning, then you've failed us. But look at you now: all YOU care about is winning. To the extent that you're giving the solos and special treatment to four overly privileged white boys who, let's face it, only got the solo because they're hotter than us and they're what the audience wants to see."

Everyone's mouths dropped. Not only was that racist and offensive, but it was completely untrue. Finn decided to speak up.

"Excuse me? How dare you say that?! You make it seem like we've just coasted our way to the extra gigs and special treatment. We've had to work out asses off, sometimes for up to 6 hours a day! I think that after all of that rehearsing, we deserve to be able to perform more than just for the competition. We wake up at like 5 in the morning every day to make it for an early 6 am rehearsal. You think we want to do that? To leave for school when it's still pitch black outside! NO! But we do it anyways, because we know how much you guys want to win, and we don't want it to let you down!"

Mercedes was taken aback for a moment, and when she was about to respond, Santana stood up.

"Mercedes! Back off! They've worked really hard for this solo, and let's face it, they're the best singers here. So if you could shut up and stop insulting them, that would be much appreciated."

"Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!" Mr. Schue muttered to himself. They went on really soon, and the room was in chaos. "OK, Everyone, be quiet!" He shouted, and they simmered down. "Look…" he continued. "Despite what some of you might think, I do NOT have favourites! Sure I've worked a bit more with the four soloists, but that would have been the case if any of you got the solo. And any of you could have got the solo! We had open auditions, and these boys won fair and square. And as for the extra gigs, I only arranged them because I know how hard the guys have been working and how many sacrifices they've made, and I wanted to motivate them. Look, can we please have this conversation after the performance?"

Everyone reluctantly nodded. A couple of minutes later, the light in the greenroom started flickering, indicating that they were to go backstage as soon as possible. They all stood up and started walking over to the auditorium. On the way, Bella slipped her hand into Finn's.

"Hey babe. I'm sorry for what the rest of the group are saying. They're just bitter that you guys are the best group."

Finn laughed and kissed her hand.

"Maybe so, but they're not wrong about us getting special treatment. I literally knew this was going to happen too. I'm starting to feel kind of guilty."

"You shouldn't. You deserve this. You put in the work, you deserve the reward. Now go get your ass on that stage and prove why you guys deserved to get the solos. You've got this."

Finn smiled.

"Thanks babe." He said, kissing her quickly and then walked quickly away to join George, Harry and Liam who were being given microphones by some of the backstage officials. Eventually, the New Directions were announced and Finn, George, Harry and Liam took their places on the pitch-black stage. Suddenly, 4 spotlights shone brightly on them and the music started.

**Finn:**

_I let it fall, my heart_

_And as it fell, you rose to claim it_

**George:**

_It was dark and I was over_

_Until you kissed my lips and you saved me_

**All:**

_But there's a side to you that I never knew, never knew_

_All the things you say, they were never true, never true_

_And the games you play, you would always win, always win_

_But I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

Santana glanced at Mercedes, who was still angry, and was watching the performance with pursed lips. Santana sauntered over to her, gleefully.

"So, Mercedes, what do you think? You think you could do better?" She asked. Mercedes scowled at her.

"Shut up, Santana. I never denied that they're good singers. I just think that Mr. Schue shouldn't be treating them like they're the next Backstreet Boys."

"Hey, for all you know, they could be. And trust me, these guys put in hard work. You can't even work half as hard as those guys, and that's why they deserve the opportunities."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and walked away. Santana turned back to watch the rest of the performance.

**George:**

_When I lay with you I could stay there_

_Close my eyes,_

**Finn:**

_Feel you here forever_

_You and me together, nothing is better_

**All:**

_But I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

**Finn:**

_Sometimes I wake up by the door_

_That heart you caught must be waiting for you_

_Even now when we're already over_

_I can't help myself from looking for you_

**All:**

_But I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

**Finn:**

_Your name_

**To see the actual song, click:**

[Union J - Set Fire to the Rain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LznfAyTYoRM)

At the end of the song, the audience absolutely erupted in cheers and applause. Although the women in the room clearly loved the boy band style performance, even the male members of the audience could appreciate their dreamy vocals. The boys didn't have time to bask in the applause though. Immediately after the song, the rest of the group joined them on stage for their second performance of the evening: Sing by My Chemical Romance. For this song, Finn and Rachel took leads, and they did a pretty good job as well. The group number was full of soul and heart, and if the first number hadn't won over the judges, the second one surely had. After the second song, the New Directions walked off stage. The other groups - the Warblers and the Hipsters - had already performed, so it was now up to the judges to decide their fate. The four judges were Olivia Newton-John, John Groban, Rod Remington, and the guest judge… a rude, obnoxious TV personality called Paula Morris.

Meanwhile, in the judges' deliberation room, this was going on…

Paula stormed into the room.

"Newton-John… you're dead to me. Remington, Groban, have a seat! I don't care who comes in first, I don't care who places second, but I have a very strong opinion on who comes in third."

"Paula… if I may." Rod said, standing up. "That Bryan Adams song had me a-moving and a-shaking. And I'm talking old school. You know, I partied with Bryan Adams back in the 80s, and I partied… hard." He winked. He was referring to, of course, the Hipsters' performance of Everything I Do (I Do it for You).

"I for one…" Olivia Newton-John started. "Am offended that only one of the groups chose to honour me in song. I think the Warblers should win."

The Warblers had sung a unique cover of Summer Nights.

"I have something to say." John Groban said. "What about those New Directions? They were young, energetic, and they had a lot of… heart."

"Heart?" Paula scoffed. "Oh please. Talk about blatant tokenism. That whole 'We're inspiring, we're a ragtag bunch of misfits thing is so 2009.'"

"Now hold on just a second." Newton-John said. "The New Directions were really good in my opinion. And those boys, they had it all: they were young, attractive, and they had dreamy vocals. They had great chemistry as a group. I like that."

"OK, let's vote." Rod said.

"My main problem with the New Directions is that production values simply weren't there. Couldn't they have afforded better costumes? They were basically wearing everyday clothes! Are they a poor person's school?"

"I thought that that tall brunette guy had an amazing voice." Groban said, referring to Finn's vocals.

"Brunettes have no place in show business." Newton-John spat.

"Come on! They're just kids!" Paula said, surprised.

"That's no excuse! By the time I was 14, I had already formed a band. When Josh Groban was 14, he was already in the Mickey Mouse club, or something?" Newton-John argued.

"Well, I feel like I should point out that not all kids are offered the same opportunities as others." Paula said. She knew this well as she was also a part time teacher in one of the local schools in Louisville.

"Is that what you tell yourself to get to sleep at night?" Newton-John spat. "Some people just simply don't have talent. You think you're a celebrity? You're not. You just try hard, that's all."

Paula was taken aback by this insult. She was a pretty frightening person so wasn't used to being insulted like that.

"Olivia Newton-John has a point." Rod Remington said. "You have a lot in common with those kids at that Ohio school. Underachievers with delusions of grandeur."

"Can we just vote?" Paula snapped.

"Let's…" Rod Remington said. Sheets of paper were handed out, and the judges wrote down their winners.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for waiting for us judges to deliberate. It was a hard decision. All three of the groups that performed today have the potential to win Nationals. But, we have come to a decision. In third place… The Hipsters." Rod Remington - the head judge - said.

The Hipsters cheered, collected their small, third place trophy and walked off the stage. The New Directions and the Warblers remained on stage. The tension in the room was palpable. It was dead silent - they could've heard a pin drop in the auditorium. After a lengthy pause to add to the drama, Rod Remington announced the winner.

"And the winner, proceeding to the National Show Choir Championships in Los Angeles in May… The New Directions!"

The New Directions screamed, jumped and hugged one another. They were going to Nationals for the second consecutive year! And this time, they had no excuse to not win the whole competition! Finn, George, Liam and Harry were congratulated by the rest of the group, as it was their solo that pushed the judges over the edge. Once Mr. Schue had collected their trophy, the New Directions walked off stage and back into the green room.

"WE'RE GOING TO L.A!" Santana screamed.

"WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS WHOLE COMPETITION!" Quinn exclaimed.

"Yeah, thank you so much for all of the work you put in. I'm so proud of you guys." Mr. Schue said. He couldn't stop smiling. All of the arguments that had occurred in the green room earlier had been temporarily forgotten as they celebrated their victory. However, their partying was briefly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Mr. Schue shouted. A couple, probably around 30 years old, walked out of the room. They looked vaguely familiar to Finn: Finn never forgot a face, but he sometimes forgot who the face belonged to.

"Hi. I'm really sorry to disturb you all. Congratulations by the way. You definitely deserved to win." The woman said, and the man next to her nodded.

"Thank you. Can we help you with something?" George asked. They nodded.

"Yeah, actually we were just wondering if we could talk to him." They said, pointing at Finn. Finn stood up and raised an eyebrow.

"Um… sure. Did I do something wrong?" He asked, cautiously. They laughed.

"No. No. Don't worry. It's nothing bad. If you could just step outside for a moment, we could talk with a bit more quiet."

Finn nodded and followed the couple outside. It was funny how now, given how massive and strong Finn was, and given his past experiences, he wasn't afraid of getting mugged anymore.

"Hi, I'm Finn Hudson by the way." He said, holding out a hand.

"Nice to meet you, man. I'm Jack Hathaway and this is my fiance Jaimie Fraiser." The man said, as Finn shook hands with both of them. Finn smiled.

"Oh, congrats. When's the wedding?" He asked, politely.

"Um… that's actually what we want to talk to you about. We want to pay you to sing at our wedding!" The future bride exclaimed. Finn's jaw dropped. He was extremely surprised, yet happy.

"Pa-pardon me?" Finn stammered.

"Well, we heard you sing while we were on vacation in Hawaii last summer, and then we heard you sing again today. You have such a magical voice. It would be an honour if our first dance is to your music."

Finn smiled.

"Do you mean just me, or with the rest of the Glee club?" Finn asked, curiously.

"No, just you." The woman said. "Sure you sounded great as a group, but my fiance and I preferred you as a solo singer. You sang such beautiful love songs."

"Thank you. I'm so flattered." Finn smiled and blushed. "I'd love to. Wait… when's the wedding. Because I'm leaving Ohio soon and I won't be able to do it if I'm already gone."

"Oh, we're happy to fly you out for the wedding if that's what it takes." The woman said. Finn smiled and laughed.

"Thanks, that means a lot. But I'm actually joining the Army in August, and I don't think that they'd appreciate it if I took time off in the middle of basic training to sing at a wedding." Finn joked. The couple laughed.

"Well, thank you for your service in advance. And anyways, the wedding's on the 20th of June, so well before August. So, will you come?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I'd love to! You don't know how much this means to me. Here, let me give you my number."

Finn quickly scribbled down his number and he gave it to the couple. They took it, and then gave him a hug.

"Thank you so much. And who knows, after you're done with the Army, maybe you could get a record deal?" The man said. Finn laughed and shrugged.

"I don't know, sir. I really haven't thought that far yet."

"Anyways, thank you so much. We'll call you with the details." The woman said, and the couple walked away. Finn smiled to himself. That felt amazingly good - being recognised for his music. Finn walked back to the greenroom, and when he walked back in, everyone looked at him questioningly.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked him.

"That couple, they're getting married in June and they want me to sing at their wedding. They heard me sing in Hawaii, and then when they saw me here in Ohio, they wanted to hire me."

"Babe, that's great!" Bella exclaimed, kissing him.

"Wait, did they want all of the New Directions?" Rachel asked. Finn shook his head.

"Nah… I asked and they said just me." Finn said. If looks could kill, Finn would not only be dead, but would be disintegrated by Rachel's glare.

"Dumbasses." Rachel muttered under her breath.

"Woah! Someone's a bit salty!" Finn exclaimed, laughing. Everyone snickered, and Rachel was about to retaliate when Mr. Schue raised a hand.

"Guys, please, not tonight. We've done so well today, let's not spoil it."

He was right. They had done so well! Next stop… Los Angeles!


	49. Chapter 49

Over the next couple of weeks, Finn was starting to notice things to do with Bella. Worrying things. He obviously knew Bella's displeasure about Finn joining the Army - she made it clear to him every day - but he never knew how bad it really was.

When he asked Santana about it, she answered him like he was stupid.

"She's trying to be brave, Finn. You can't really be that stupid." Santana shook her head.

"What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about Santana?" He said, confused.

"Finn… She's been crying to me for the past hour on the phone. She's trying to be brave for you. She doesn't want to disappoint you, she wants to support you. She's trying to show you that you can get through anything together. She's trying not to screw this up…" Santana sighed, defeated, "and it's breaking her. Whether you see it or not."

Finn looked up again to watch Santana walk away and say over his shoulder, "You're not just making this decision for you."

He first saw it in glee. Mr. Schue asked her to sing lead on the week's assignment and she smiled brightly but politely declined. She mentioned a tickle in her throat, and asked if Rachel could sing it for her. Mr. Schue smiled at her and Rachel sauntered her way down the aisle to the front of the classroom. Finn was watching Bella, confused. She had never passed up the opportunity to sing before.

Another sign happened after her head fell to write something in her notebook: she frowned. It wasn't a big frown, and people would probably call him crazy for thinking it was anything at all. It almost looked like she was in pain, like something was tearing at her, breaking her. That's when he realized: it was him.

He waited until glee was over and she opened her palm to him, an invitation. He took it, and she smiled as she stood and began walking out of the room. They made it to her locker, and he watched as she chattered on, mostly to herself, about the events of her day. He kept thinking about her lips, her beautiful, soft lips in a frown.

"Did I do something to make you not trust me?" It came out louder than he expected it to, and she jumped a little at the abruptness of his interruption. She looked up at him, scanning his eyes, trying to understand what he meant. She finally responded,

"No, you didn't. Well, nothing that I know of. Why?" She looked concerned, worried about what he had to say.

"I just can't figure out why you'd cry to Santana on the phone for hours, but not even give me an idea that you're sad or upset or mad even." The words felt bitter and forbidden as they rolled off his tongue, like he wasn't supposed to tell her he knew. He didn't care, though; in fact he held eye contact with her the entire time, he wasn't ashamed, he deserved to know.

It was her that looked away, her gaze moving to trace circles on the floor, "She shouldn't have told you that."

"You're right Bella. She shouldn't have… You should have. I shouldn't have to hear from my friend that my girlfriend is an emotional wreck. You should have told me, I deserved to know how you really felt." He felt his anger seep into his words, and made a mental note to keep it in check. The last thing he needed was to make her feel worse. She looked back up at him warmly,

"Oh, Finn." Her small hand reached up and rested on his arm reassuringly. "It's not that I don't trust you. I just can't talk to you about it. You need all the help and support you can get for you to be able to get through your deployment safely. You don't need your girlfriend complaining and insulting your decisions."

Her words washed over him and his first thought was, stupid. "That's stupid."

"Excuse me?"

"That's stupid, Bella. I want your opinion, however negative it may be. You're a huge part of my life, and hopefully will be for a long time." He smiled down at her, sometimes she really did surprise him though, he'd give her that. He felt pretty smooth until he watched her face turn dark, not in a mad way, in a really sad way.

"Finn, you need to do what is right for you, which is why we aren't going to talk about me anymore. I love you, and I want all of your dreams to come true. I can't stand in the way." She kissed his cheek and turned to walk to the parking lot. He watched her go, more confused than ever.

He noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes three weeks later.

They were sitting on the couch in his living room watching a movie. He wasn't really paying attention, he was watching her. She was tucked under his arm, her hair like soft waves, cascading down her head.

He lifted a thumb to softly graze the sensitive skin, her tell of a lack of sleep. She flinched, turning to look at him. She recognized the concern in his eyes, and lurched herself forward to kiss him. Pulling herself into his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. She felt his concern melt away as his arms circled her waist.

He buried his worry, but didn't forget it.

One day, Finn was walking into school, and when he was at the choir room entrance, he heard voices coming from inside. It was Bella and Santana.

"What if something happens to him?" Bella whispered, letting her body erupt in sobs. It took everything in his body to stop him from going to her and pulling her to him.

"Oh Bella. I don't know… I just don't know. I suppose the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. You need to stop worrying. It's going to be six years. You might as well get used to it."

"He doesn't even know that this is what he wants. When I first asked him he said he thinks this is what he wants. He has no idea what he's doing." Bella cried and he heard Santana soothing her.

Finn crept back down the corridor, unseen. He was heart-broken by what he had just heard. Bella was hurting. Hurting bad.

A couple of days later, him and Bella were going to the movies. She had some chick flick she wanted to see and he'd do anything to make her happy at this point. She hadn't laughed around him in about a week and he figured there'd have to be something funny in this movie she wanted to see.

Bella's mom was in the kitchen and Finn was waiting in the living room for her, watching tv with her dad.

Bella's dad broke the silence they'd been in for fifteen minutes.

"She's been having nightmares you know."

Finn's head shot up, his eyes meeting her dad's hard ones.

"She doesn't want us to tell you, that's why she's resisted having you over lately. But I think you deserve to know." He said. Finn nodded, confused. Her dad continued. "She never sleeps for more than two hours at a time, and she always wakes up screaming. I'm sure you've noticed how tired she is… It's to the point where we keep a glass of water by her bed every night." Finn sighed, not knowing what to say. Luckily he heard Bella coming down the stairs, but it didn't stop her dad from whispering, "We're worried about her."

During the movie, Finn had no idea what was going on. He was staring at Bella instead of the movie. In fact he didn't even know the name of the movie they "watching."

Bella was wearing jeans - she never wore jeans but her ass looked so good in them. Not that he could tell while she was sitting next to him, but hey, a guy can imagine. Her shaking tore him from his day dreaming. Her whole body was convulsing.

"Bella? What's wrong?" he whispered. His head turned from her to the screen where he saw a soldier's memorial service going on. "Damn it, Bella." He grabbed her hand and pulled her from her seat. When they made it through the theater door she lost it and he pulled her to his chest. One hand found the back of her head, caressing her hair. The other found its way to the small of her back. "Shh Bella, it's okay." He soothed her, avoiding the disapproving glances from others in the Lima Movie Theater.

He weaved their way through the crowds, outside, through the parking lot, and finally to his truck. He put her in through the passenger side, and pulled her to him as he sat on his side. She quickly buried her face into his shoulder, her crying had stopped but he could still feel her body convulse gently.

She sighed into him, her hand rising to his shoulder to caress it gently. He felt her lips on his neck and he cringed. "Bella, I'm done with this." He pulled her hand from his shoulder, she flinched backwards and looked him in the eyes. "I'm done with you hiding your feelings. Especially like this, the kissing, the distractions; they stop now." He looked at her and she looked down, raising her hands to wipe her tear stained cheeks.

He reached with his forefinger to hook under her chin and tilt her head up. He kissed her softly, sweetly, and placed his forehead against hers, cupping her face with his hand. Softly he told her, "Why won't you tell me what's going on? I'd trust you with my life, babe, and it kinda hurts that you don't have the same faith in me." He murmured. She smiled, and not a fake smile, a real smile.

"You're right, Finn." She replied. His thumb grazed her cheekbone tenderly as he stared at her.

"So we can talk about it?" He asked. She nodded. She tucked herself into his arms, her breath warmed his skin through the fabric of his shirt. She took a deep, shaky breath and began to pour her heart out.

"I don't want you to go, Finn. I don't want you to join the army. I want you to stay with me. I want it all, I want the perfect life. I know it's selfish. But I know you'll resent me if you don't go."

Finn kissed Bella gently.

"Babe, the only way we're going to get through the next few years is if we work together. If we talk to each other. You shouldn't have to hide your emotions from me: it'll only bottle them up and eventually will start to really hurt you and it won't end well. Please, if there's something going on, no matter how big or small it is, talk to me."

Bella nodded and beamed a watery smile.

"I love you so much." She said. Finn kissed her.

"I love you too."


	50. Chapter 50

The McKinley High Senior Prom was coming up, and everyone was buzzing. People were starting to campaign for Prom King and Queen, girls were talking about dresses, and guys were talking about which hotel room to book 😉. Finn and Bella were walking to the choir room, laughing at the various prom royalty candidate posters. Finn turned to her.

"You sure you don't want to run?" Finn asked her. He himself didn't care much about prom royalty, but he knew how much girls did. Bella shook her head.

"Nah. I just want to dance with the love of my life. And then have a little fun afterwards." She winked at him. Finn groaned in anticipation. They hadn't been intimate with each other in almost 2 weeks - they wanted prom night to be extra special.

"You, Bella Sutton, are going to be the death of me." He murmured and she laughed. They finally made it to the choir room, but Mr. Schue wasn't there yet. He was all the way across the school, in Principal Figgins' office.

"I have some bad news." Principal Figgins told Mr. Schue and Coach Sue.

"Will Schuester is leaving McKinley to start a hair gel company. Oh, William, I am devastated. Positively horny with grief. As a going-away present, here's a spray bottle of hairspray. You know, as a startup booster." Sue remarked, obnoxiously. Will rolled his eyes. Seriously? Again with the hair jokes.

"No, no." Figgins said. "Prom is in one week and my favourite band cancelled."

"What band?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Air Supply, William. So I'm inviting my next favourite group: the New Directions!" He exclaimed.

Nope! No way!" Sue exclaimed. Mr. Schue sighed.

"Um… I actually agree with Sue. I mean, normally we would jump at the chance to perform, but… I mean, we've got Nationals in three weeks, which means that we have a lot of rehearsals. And a lot of funds to raise just so that we can afford the trip."

"William, this glass is half-full of dreams for all of us." Figgins said. "I have decided to give all the money to the Glee Club that I was going to pay Air Supply! So that's $400 right there for you."

"I won't allow it. I'm the prom coordinator and I was not consulted." Sue butted in. "Each year, I honor the prom with a bowl of my family's secret punch recipe, made all the more meaningful to me because it's the punch bowl my grandmother drowned in. And each year, that punch bowl is spiked. Such lawlessness will only be encouraged when being screeched at by that Glee Club!"

"Sue, it is not a discussion!" Figgins shouted. "We are in the lurch!"

Sue sighed.

"Fine. Well, then let me take this opportunity to make a request. Here's a list of the worst songs ever performed by the Glee club." She said, whipping out a piece of paper from her pocket.

"You just carry that around?" Will asked, on the verge of laughter.

"Number one…" She said, ignoring Will. "Run Joey Run. You should literally apologize to America for that one. Number two, the ingenious mash up of Crazy in Love and Hair. Now I know you must have been pretty tired when you slapped that baby together."

"If you'll excuse me." Will interrupted and walked out the room.

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Mercedes and Santana walked into the choir room together.

"I've been to Ann Taylor Loft, Filene's Basement and like 6 Forever 21s, and I cannot find a dress that fits." Mercedes said to her friend. "I'm gonna be forced to make my own dress for prom."

"Don't, you'll seem poor." Brittany commented, sassily.

"You can't make your own dress! Prom is like our Oscars. It's seriously like the most important night of our lives." She said.

"What about getting married?" Tina asked.

"Oh, you can get married as many times as you want. You only have one shot at your junior prom." Quinn said.

"Glad I dodged that bullet." George whispered in Finn's ear. Finn snickered.

"So, who are you taking?" He asked his friend.

"A Cheerio I started hanging out with. She's pretty cool. She's a junior. Her name's Kitty Wilde."

Suddenly, Rachel walked into the room.

"What are you guys talking about?" Rachel asked, grumpily. She had been in a bad mood all week.

"Prom dresses." Mercedes answered.

"Thank God I don't have to worry about that. I'm not going."

"Why not?" Kurt asked, confused.

"Because nobody's asked me." She replied. Before anyone could say anything else, Mr. Schue walked into the room. He walked straight to the board and wrote one word… Prom. He then turned back to the class.

"All right guys… Prom."

"Please tell me we're not doing songs about Proms." Finn pleaded. Everyone laughed.

"Nope. We are the prom." Mr. Schue answered. "Figgins has asked us to perform. Now I know this isn't ideal with Nationals coming up, but we really don't have a choice. And we could really use the money. But I know that prom is a special rite of passage. I'm gonna make sure that all of you guys get a chance to enjoy the dance too. So, we're gonna stagger the performances so that each and every one of you has plenty of time to dance with your dates."

Rachel suddenly stood up.

"Excuse me." She said, and then walked out of the room. Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"What's up with her?" he asked.

"Rachel doesn't have a date for prom." Bella explained.

"So? I don't have a date." Puck said. "I'm just going to dance, and then all of your dates are gonna ignore you and come dance with me, so… your dates are really my dates."

"Have you ever thought that it's comments like that which is why you don't have a girlfriend?" Finn remarked. Everyone sniggered. Even Puck laughed.

"I'm gonna go talk to Rachel." Kurt said, leaving the room. Once he was gone, and the chatter in the room had started again, Finn turned to Bella.

"Yeesh, I feel kind of bad for her. I know what it feels like to miss out on big life experiences." He murmured. She kissed him.

"Don't feel bad. She brought this on herself. I mean, she would probably have a date at this point if she was a little nicer to others and not a total bitch all the time."

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Rachel was sitting in the auditorium, hiding amongst the seats, feeling sorry for herself, when suddenly, a voice called out.

"It's good to see you again, Rachel." Jessie St. James said. Rachel spun around to face him.

"J-j-jessie… what are you doing here?" Rachel stammered.

"I mean, how was I supposed to know that I was actually supposed to show up to those classes at school? I was majoring in show choir. I just assumed it would be like at Carmel and the school would get some Asian kid to take math and English and Scientific for me."

Rachel looked down.

"That's awful." She murmured.

"I came back to see you, Rachel." He said. "What I did to you… that's my one great regret."

"Yeah, it was horrible. One day you were telling me that you loved me and then you were inexplicably throwing eggs and water balloons at me the next."

"I know. I know. I traded love for a fourth consecutive National Championship. It was a bum deal. For a first, maybe, but for a fourth, no way. I've come to make amends. So what are you doing for Prom…"

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When Finn asked about a corsage, Bella had only asked for a single flower that she could put in her hair in any color. This had puzzled Finn so he asked Santana for advice. She had advised him to go with white gardenias with a white bow. White would go with any color.

The day of the prom arrived and Finn spent that Saturday scrubbing his old faithful blue truck inside and out. He really wanted to get a limo for Bella, but she wasn't interested in one. That old truck held a world full of their best memories together. No need to change things now.

Finn started getting himself cleaned up for their big night around four. He never got to go to prom last year - he was in Hawaii at the time - so he was actually looking forward to it. George and his mom were watching a hockey game on TV when Finn came down the steps in his tux. They were speechless when he came downstairs. He looked like a model, with his black tux with a white shirt, and a silver bow tie.

"Oh my," was all Mrs. Shelley could say as she looked at her son from the top of his perfect hair down to his shiny black shoes. "I am so proud of you. Bella's going to be blown away when she sees you."

"Wow Finn, you actually look halfway decent. Like you haven't just picked up whatever clothes are nearest to you from the floor." George got up from the couch and walked over. "You may be elected prom king just on write-in votes alone."

"Bella and I aren't running." Finn said as he fixed his disobedient bow tie.

"But you're the quarterback, so you may well win. That's at least how it was when I was at school." Mrs. Shelley said.

"I don't know, and I honestly don't care. I just want to spend a fun night with my girlfriend." Finn said.

"Ask Henry and Janet to take lots of pictures of the two of you together and we want duplicates," Mrs. Shelley smiled.

Finn nodded, grabbed the small box with the flower inside, and left the house. George was leaving in around 30 minutes, as him and Kitty wanted to be 'fashionably late.'

Finn pulled up in front of Bella's house and parked his truck in her driveway. Holding the flower box in his hand, he rang the doorbell to be greeted by both Henry and Janet.

"She'll be right down. Let me go and tell her that you're here," Janet said as he pointed at the couch for Finn to sit.

"She's coming," Janet said a few minutes later while Henry adjusted his camera on the tripod.

Finn got up and walked over to the foot of the staircase and waited for Bella to appear.

When she did, she was a vision in silver. Her dress was a long strapless mermaid style dress that accented her curves perfectly. A slit in the side showed off her perfectly tanned left leg and her sparkly stiletto heels.

Slowly Finn regained his ability to speak and when he did he said, "You look so beautiful. You'll be the most gorgeous girl there. I didn't know what kind of flowers to get you, but I know that you like gardenias," Finn said, offering her the flower.

"Would you help me pin it in my hair?" Bella asked. "I want it at the back, behind my ear."

"Sure, I'll be glad to help you, but you know that I'm all butter fingers."

As Finn helped her secure the gardenia in her hair, he couldn't resist the urge to kiss her swan-like neck that her up-do revealed.

Finn escorted his date back down the stairs as she clung to his arm for balance. Her sparkling Cinderella shoes with the three inch stiletto heels made the stairs difficult.

"The two of you will be the most handsome couple there," Janet gushed as she met her daughter with a kiss on the cheek. After the usual barrage of pictures, Bella said that they had better be on their way if they were going to make it on time. Finn escorted Bella to his waiting truck, and after helping her in, he got into the driver's seat. Closing the driver's door behind him, Finn turned to Bella before starting the truck.

"I'm sorry that my old truck isn't going to turn into a coach with eight white horses that you deserve. It's just a pumpkin. It's a clean pumpkin, but still just a pumpkin."

"Old Blue is perfect. I don't need a limo or a coach with eight white horses. We started falling in love in this truck, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Bella leaned over and gave Finn a kiss as his arms wrapped around her. "Are you sure that you still want to go to the prom?" Finn whispered between kisses.

"All in good time, babe." Bella winked. Finn groaned in anticipation and reversed out of the driveway and drove to school.

When Finn and Bella entered the gym, all eyes seemed to be on them. Finn in his black tux and Bella in her silver gown seemed to be glowing. Their friends had secured a corner of the gym and had saved two seats for them.

"Do you two realize that the two of you are the hottest couple here?" Mercedes whispered to Bella when Finn left to get some punch.

"Aw! You're too nice." Bella smiled, blushing.

"I'm not exaggerating. You're the most breathtaking couple here, and I wouldn't be surprised if you and Finn are elected prom queen and king."

"We're not running," Bella assured Mercedes.

"Kurt wasn't running last year, but he won on write-in votes. And Finn's the star Quarterback - he's bound to get quite a few votes."

Finn came back shortly after, and him and Bella to the dance floor and watched their friends sing on-stage. Finn would be singing two songs - one at the middle and one close to the end of the prom - so he had plenty of time to dance with his gorgeous girlfriend. Eventually, Finn was tapped on the shoulder by George, telling him to come to the stage to perform. For Finn's first song, he was performing with George, Liam and Harry, and they were performing an upbeat, fast song. They decided on the ever-popular One Direction hit - Perfect.

**Liam:**

_I might never be your knight in shining armor_

_I might never be the one you take home to mother_

_And I might never be the one who brings you flowers_

_But I can be the one, be the one tonight_

**George:**

_When I first saw you_

_From across the room_

_I could tell that you were curious (oh, yeah)_

_Girl, I hope you're sure_

_What you're looking for_

_'Cause I'm not good at making promises_

**Finn:**

_But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_Then baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

**Harry:**

_I might never be the hands you put your heart in_

_Or the arms that hold you any time you want them_

_But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment_

_'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time_

**George:**

_When I first saw you_

_From across the room_

_I could tell that you were curious (oh, yeah)_

_Girl, I hope you're sure_

_What you're looking for_

_'Cause I'm not good at making promises_

**Finn:**

_But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

**Liam:**

_And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out_

_(Oh, yeah)_

_And if you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about_

_Baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, we're perfect_

**Finn:**

_If you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_Baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

**For the actual song, click:**

[One Direction - Perfect](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho32Oh6b4jc)

At the end of the song, they got a cheer from the dance floor. The boys stepped down and Finn made his way back to Bella. She kissed him.

"Babe, that was great!" She exclaimed. Finn smiled.

"Thanks. I still don't know how you got out of singing anything." He grumbled. Bella laughed and tugged him onto the dance floor.

"What can I say? I can be very persuasive." She said. The two of them slow-danced to the next few songs - Bella wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. They were both completely at peace, their hearts beating softly against one another, ignoring the whole world around them. As far as they were concerned, they were the only ones in the world - they had each other, and that was all that mattered. Finally, Finn was called to sing for the second time, right before the crowning of Prom royalty. He approached the piano, and sat down. Rather than a fast song, he decided on a love ballad. He started gently tickling the piano keys, and then started singing. It was a slowed down, ballad version of Teenage Dream by Katy Perry.

_I think you're pretty_

_Without any makeup on_

_I think you're funny_

_When you tell the punchline wrong_

_I knew you got me_

_When you let your walls come down, down_

_Before you met me_

_I was alright, but things_

_Were kinda heavy_

_You brought me to life_

_Now every February_

_You'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

_Let's just talk all through the night_

_There's no need to rush_

_We can dance, until we die_

_You and I, will be young forever_

_You make me feel like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_When you're around me_

_Life's like a movie scene_

_I wasn't happy_

_Until you became my queen_

_I finally found you_

_My missing puzzle piece_

_I'm complete_

_Let's just talk all through the night_

_There's no need to rush_

_We can dance, until we die_

_You and I, will be young forever_

_You make me feel like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_I'ma get your heart racing_

_If that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight_

_Let you rest your head on me_

_If that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight, tonight, tonight_

_Tonight_

_You make me feel like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

_And my heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever_

_I'ma get your heart racing_

_If that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight_

_Let you rest your head on me_

_If that's what you need_

_In this teenage dream tonight, tonight, tonight_

**[Boyce Avenue - Teenage Dream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAUMU3QQE6w) **

Finn looked at Bella the entire time he was performing, and he watched how emotional she got by the end. When he stepped off stage, Bella flew into his arms and kissed him.

"I love you so much." She whispered.

"Love you too." Finn murmured as they sat down. Suddenly, Principal Figgins stood up and the spotlight shone on him.

"First I have an announcement to make…" Principal Figgins said. "There are reptiles living in McKinley toilets no more. The family of snakes have been safely removed to the zoo, where they can live out their lives in the toilets there."

Everyone cheered. The snakes in the bathrooms were a huge problem throughout senior year. In the few times Finn had gone in, he had found a number of Garter Snakes lurking in the shadows. Luckily, Garter - or Garden - Snakes were non-venemous and therefore harmless, so Finn just picked them and moved them when they came near, unfazed by the frightening reptiles. He was used to having unwanted animals around him from when he lived on the streets. Bella, on the other hand, was irrationally petrified of snakes. One morning in March, she literally called him at 5 in the morning, crying hysterically, asking if he could get rid of a snake that was in the garden.

"And now, this year's Prom court. Nominees for the Prom king are… David Karofskys, Noah Puckerman and Rick the stick Nelson."

Finn watched as the 3 guys walked on stage gleefully. Of the three guys, Puckerman was probably the least bad, but they were all pretty annoying people. Rick the Stick was the reason why Finn didn't join the hockey team in junior or senior year. Talent wise, Finn was definitely better than anyone on the McKinley team, but hockey guys were even bigger dick heads than the football team, and there was a huge rivalry between the two teams. The last thing Finn wanted was to be stuck in a turf war between the two teams. He had voted Puck for King but he thought that Karofsky would probably be the one getting crowned.

"Nominees for Queen." Goggins continued. "Are… Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez and Brittany S. Pierce."

The girls cared a lot more about prom royalty than the guys did. Quinn, Santana and Brittany strutted over to Principal Goggins on stage, and they waved at the adoring crowd. They weren't kidding when they said that prom was like their Oscars! The three girls, who were normally the best of friends, would be competing against eachother tonight.

"This year's Prom King…" Figgins said. "Winning with majority of the vote, our MVP Quarterback, Mr. Finn Hudson!"

Bella squealed in happiness for her boyfriend, but Finn groaned in annoyance. He had a bad feeling that this would happen; he really didn't want the extra attention. More attention meant more drama, and all Finn wanted was to finish senior year safe and happy, with Bella right next to him. Reluctantly, he stood up and Bella pushed him towards the stage. He stepped on stage and shook hands with Figgins, before having a pathetic plastic crown placed on his head. The crowd were roaring with cheers, and Finn could see Puck, Rick and Karofsky scowled at him from the side of the stage.

"And the winner for Prom Queen is…"

This was another issue that Finn had. Every dance since freshman year, Quinn had been crowned Prom Queen, and probably would be again. Finn really didn't want to have to slow dance with his and George's ex-girlfriend - the girl who had caused him and his best friend so much pain. He had voted for Santana, and wouldn't mind dancing with her at all, as they were close enough as friends that the close contact wouldn't be weird. And there wouldn't be rumours started by the rest of the school, as Santana was openly gay, and they knew how close friends Finn and Santana were. Finn wouldn't have even minded dancing with Brittany - she was really sweet and again, it wouldn't be weird as Brittany was openly gay. The three candidates waited nervously as the prom Queen was announced, their hands shaking, and Santana and Brittany's pinkies intertwined.

"Santana Lopez."

Finn let out a sigh of relief and he clapped along with the rest of the school as Santana sauntered over and accepted her tiara as Queen. Finn and Santana were quickly coronated, and they were lead to the center of the room for their King-Queen dance. Bella and Brittany watched them, so much love in their eyes. Quinn, however, was angry. She stormed off stage and left the building, not to be seen again for the rest of the night. As Finn and Santana danced, they chatted.

"Congratulations. I know how much you wanted to be queen." Finn said as he twirled Santana. She smiled.

"Thanks. It's nice to finally beat Fabray at something, and be the Queen for just one night. Did you know she literally beats me at everything?!"

"That's not true." Finn laughed.

"It is!" She exclaimed. "She's the head Cheerio, I'm deputy. She's more popular. She's hotter. She's nicer." Santana said. Finn shook his head.

"I disagree. First of all, you're a much nicer person than she is, on the inside. Quinn puts on a kind personality to draw people in and manipulate them. That's not cool, if you ask me. You on the other hand, are much nicer than her, but you push people away with sarcasm and insults. Like remember when my mom died? You stayed with me for a whole month after! I bet you Quinn wouldn't do that for anyone."

Santana shrugged.

"Ok, fine. That doesn't take away the fact that she's hotter than me."

"Again, I disagree. As far as I'm concerned, you're the second most beautiful girl in this room, after Bella." Finn said as the two of them danced. Santana winked at him.

"You flirting with me, Hudson?" She joked.

"You wish, Lopez." Finn laughed. The song then ended and Bella and Brittany joined them.

"Hey guys, I hope you two aren't falling in love over here." Brittany joked and they all laughed.

"Britt, you have nothing to worry about. I'm waaaaaaay out of her league anyways." Finn replied, winking at her. Santana raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, is that right?" Santana laughed. "Anyways, Britt and I are going to go now. We'll see you guys on Monday?"

"Yeah, see you then." Finn and Bella said, hugging the two girls and watching them leave. There were only a few people left in the gym, scattered around the room. Bella then turned to her boyfriend.

"Hey babe. Do you want to go now? Our hotel room's waiting." Bella whispered seductively, nibbling on his ear. Finn practically jumped up.

"Don't have to tell me twice." He murmured, and they ran out of the gym together, and over to Finn's car. While Finn was driving, he could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket. After the third time, he pulled the annoying thing out to check it. He raised an eyebrow.

"That's weird. It's Santana." He said, and then he picked up the phone.

"Hey San. Miss me already?" He remarked. He could immediately sense something was wrong. He could hear Santana sniffling on the other end of the line. She had been crying. "San, you okay?" He asked worriedly.

"F-f-fi-fi-nn." Santana stammered. "Me and Britt… we were attacked."


	51. Chapter 51

" _F-f-fi-fi-nn." Santana stammered. "Me and Britt… we were attacked."_

Finn's heart dropped, and his eyes widened. Bella could tell that something was wrong, but she couldn't hear what was going on.

"Santana, where are you?" He demanded.

"St. Margaret's Hospital. Britt's going to need surgery." She cried. Finn suddenly pulled the car into a sharp right turn, and floored the accelerator.

"FINN! WHAT THE HELL?!" Bella screamed, clutching the grab handle of the car. Finn ignored her and turned his phone onto speaker-phone mode.

"Hey, San. We'll be there in less than 5 minutes. What happened?" He asked, as Bella listened in.

"Britt and I, we were walking home, and we were holding hands, you know. This guy didn't appreciate that. He started following us and eventually cornered us. He knocked me out and then started… he started beating up Britt!'

Finn and Bella listened in horror as Santana collapsed in sobs.

"Look, Santana, we're almost there, okay? Are your parents there? Do you want me to call them?"

"The hospital already called them. And Brittany's. They're on their way. Please hurry." Santana begged, and Finn urged his truck to go faster than what it could safely go. At lightning speed, Finn and Bella had arrived at the hospital and Finn had hurled his car into an empty parking spot. Still in their prom clothes, Bella and Finn ran into the building. All his life, Finn had hated hospitals, he believed that they reeked of death, and he especially loathed this place. This was the hospital Carole died in, the hospital he had been taken to when he was injured during football and the hospital he had been taken to when he got shot. As soon as Santana saw Finn and Bella, she ran over to them and collapsed in Finn's arms, sobbing. As Finn hugged her, he was able to quickly examine her. She had a black eye and a lump on the back of her head, but otherwise seemed physically unharmed. She was an emotional wreck though. Santana had always been very overprotective of Brittany, and getting knocked out immediately, leaving her girlfriend to take the brunt of the beating mentally killed her. Santana's legs had given out from the stress, so Finn gently helped her over to the seats outside the Surgery Ward. Santana was still in her prom dress, and she was shivering from both the stress and exhaustion, so Finn wrapped his tux jacket around her.

"Hey San? What exactly happened?" Finn asked, softly. Santana took a deep breath, and a tear ran down her cheek.

"Britt and I were walking back from the prom - you know how close my house is to McKinley - and we were holding pinkies like we always do. About halfway there, we noticed this guy following us. We crossed the street to see if he would do the same, you know, to confirm that he was following us. He did follow us, and kept on doing so for a good couple of minutes. We then started to just full-on sprint home as fast as we could. But unfortunately, he was faster than us. He easily caught up with us and cornered us in an alley. I thought he could maybe be a mugger so I gave him our purses. He said, and I quote, 'didn't want that shit.' He said that pretty girls like us shouldn't be dating each other. We needed to be dating a real man. I knew what was about to happen, and I tried to grab Brittany's hand so we could run, but the man noticed and stopped me. He knocked me out cold, and next thing I knew, I was waking up next to an unconscious Brittany, and a family was standing over us. They had called an ambulance, and we were quickly transported here. Brittany was rushed to the surgery room immediately, and after a quick exam, and I was deemed okay."

When she finished talking, she collapsed into tears again. Bella stood up.

"I'm going to see if the front desk lady has any more information about Brittany." She said, hugging Santana and walking away. Finn turned to Santana.

"Hey Santana, I know what I'm about to ask is awkward, but please be honest. Did the guy, you know… sexually assault you?" Finn asked quietly. Santana shook her head.

"No, thank god. We would have felt it afterwards if he had. And both of us woke up fully clothed, and not… dirty."

Finn let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank god. That's great." He said. Santana raised an eyebrow at him, and Finn realised how insensitive what he had just said would have sounded to the person whose girlfriend was in surgery. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise how rude that sounded. I know what happened was absolutely horrible and nobody in the world, least of all Brittany, deserved it. But if he had, you know, assaulted you both, there would be so many more things to deal with. I mean, you could have gotten pregnant for a start."

Santana nodded.

"Yeah. I'm just so worried about Britt. I love her so much. I can't lose her." She cried. Finn hugged her tightly.

"And you won't. She's going to be okay…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

**30 minutes later**

Thirty minutes later, the nurse walked into the waiting room. By this point, Santana's parents, Brittany's parents, Finn, Bella and Santana were present, so the room was pretty packed.

"So, Brittany has a broken jaw and they're going to wire her jaw shut. She has several broken ribs and one of them punctured his left lung. She's lucky to be alive," The nurse said

"Does she have any idea who did this?" Finn asked in confusion.

"I doubt it." Santana said. "The guy was about 6'1, blonde hair, big, but not as built as you, Finn. He was slightly overweight as well. Nothing unique about him. Just a typical caucasian dude."

"I knew I should have made Brittany transfer to a private school." Mr. Pierce seethed. "This is the second time that Brittany has been assaulted! This would have never happened if she were at Crawford County Day!"

"Are you saying that someone from McKinley did this?" Finn asked Mr. Pierce point-blank.

"We don't know anything yet. The family who called the ambulance told the police that they saw a guy matching Santana's description follow them down the road."

"Santana, was there anything unique about him? Like maybe tattoos, scars, limps?" Finn asked. Santana shook her head.

"No. And anyways, McKinley isn't the only high school in the area. The theater that's right next to McKinley has been showing late night runs of Rocky Horror, and the manager told the police that they have been getting a lot of out-of-towners, especially teenagers," She said.

"Where are the police now?" Bella asked.

"They left a few minutes ago. A doctor told them that it would be morning before they could talk to Brittany, and Santana was knocked out pretty quickly, so she didn't see anything." Mrs. Pierce softly sobbed while holding onto her husband's hand.

The minutes seemed to pass like hours as the group of them waited and waited. Bella called her parents and told them what had happened. Henry and Janet brought Bella a comfortable change of clothes and joined the vigil. No one mentioned gay bashing, but it was on everyone's mind.

Time moved in slow motion as they waited. Patients came and went, and the two AM television program was just an irritating blur in the background. The three men took turns pacing until the early morning cleaning crew sent them retreating to their seats to avoid the vacuum cleaners and soggy mops.

A surgeon from Brittany's operating room finally emerged and told them that her jaw had been wired shut so her broken jaw bone could heal. She also had several broken ribs and one had punctured her left lung causing it to collapse. Her shoulder had also been dislocated.

"When can we see her?" Finn asked the surgeon.

"She's in recovery now. It will be morning before she is awake enough to talk to you. If you would like to go home and get some rest, now would be the time," the doctor advised.

News of what had happened spread like wild-fire and soon the emergency waiting room was filling up with Brittany's friends.

Henry and Janet got up to go home and motioned for Bella to accompany them.

"It's getting crowded in here so Janet, Bella and I will be heading home. Call us as soon as you know anything," Henry said to Finn.

Finn also left with Santana, and ran by their houses to pick up a change of clothes. Finn changed out of a very wrinkled tux into a t-shirt, jeans, and a hoodie. On the way back to the hospital they stopped and bought everyone some coffee. They had been drinking coffee out of the hospital vending machine all night and needless to say, it was awful.

When Finn and Santana entered the hospital, everyone was gone. They spotted Mercedes and Tina waiting for them, and they walked over to the two girls.

"Where's everyone?" Finn asked, holding the coffee.

"They have moved Brittany to a private room and Santana's parents asked us to wait for you. Britt's in room 416 on the fourth floor."

"Thanks. We owe you one," Finn and Santana said as they made their way to the elevator.

They entered room 416 to find Mr. and Mrs. Pierce hovering over Brittny, who was only partially conscious.

"How is she? Is she awake yet?" Finn asked, quickly darting his eyes over to the bed.

"She's trying to wake up. She's been moving about and moaning," Mrs. Pierce said, never taking her eyes off of her daughter. When Santana saw her motionless girlfriend, she very nearly ran out the room. She couldn't believe her eyes. If she hadn't known that it was Brittany, she would have never recognized her. One eye was swollen shut and the side of her face was dark purple. Her mouth was wired so that she couldn't speak if she wanted to. Her face and hands were black and swollen. A breathing tube was helping her breath. One arm was in a sling and her shoulder was marked with a blood stained bandage where an incision had been made to repair the dislocation. She was hooked up to an IV line and heart monitor. Santana burst into tears as she saw how broken her girlfriend was. Finn put a comforting arm around her, and Santana leaned into him for support. If she didn't, she knew that she would collapse on the floor. Eventually, once she got over her shock, she walked over to her girlfriend's bed.

"Can you hear me?" Santana asked "Blink twice you can."

Brittany tried to speak but couldn't.

"It's okay Britt," Santana said to her girlfriend. "Your jaw is broken and the doctors had to wire it shut until it heals. Don't try to talk, I'll run out later and see if I can find one of those miniature white board like Mr. Schue's."

"Do you know who did this?" Mrs. Pierce asked. Brittany shook her head, and Santana squeezed her non-injured hand comfortingly. The nurse suddenly walked in.

"OK, Ms. Pierce needs her sleep. Everyone out please. Visiting time is over. You can come back tomorrow." She said.

"But… I…" Santana started.

"TOMORROW." The nurse said, firmly. Santana sighed and admitted defeat. The whole group trudged out of the room and went their separate ways. Finn drove home, and was immediately greeted by George. It was 7 am and Finn hadn't come home, so George just assumed that Finn got some. But when he saw Finn's expression, he knew something was wrong. Finn was forced to repeat, in great detail, the whole story to George and his mom, and he made it up to his room to sleep a whole hour later. He crashed as soon as his head hit the pillow: it had an exhausting day. Prom had seemed like a million years ago!


	52. Chapter 52

On Monday Finn picked Bella up for school, looking exhausted.

"Did you get any rest?" Bella asked.

"Not much."

"Have the police found out anything else?" Bella quizzed Finn.

"They have interviewed some more people who were nearby and it sounds like gay bashing. The guy was calling them lesbos and homos. Given that the girls weren't raped, it's apparently much more likely due to their sexuality, rather than their gender."

"Did any of the witnesses give the police a description?"

"High school age boy is what the police are telling us. Heck they could be describing me for what's that worth," Finn said in disgust. "No one wants to get involved."

"Santana does think that she recognized one of them from somewhere. Maybe when Brittany gets home and her head clears, it will come to her," Bella offered.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

At Glee practice all anyone wanted to talk about was what had happened to their friends.

"Guys," Mr. Schue interrupted the chatter. "It's awful what has happened to Brittany and Santana, but we have a decision to make. Nationals are less than two weeks away. Do we want to withdraw, or do we want to compete with a girl down? We still have the 15 members, but the decision is up to you."

"I think that Britt would want us to compete, but I'll ask her when I get to the hospital this afternoon," Santana volunteered. "It's not too late to rework our routines."

"I agree," Quinn added. "I can fill in for her dance steps. We've come this far and it's the last chance for the seniors. I think Brittany would want us to compete."

"Let's do it for them. Everyone that wants to compete, raise your hand," Mercedes commanded.

Everyone raised their hands.

"The vote is unanimous," Mr. Schue announced. "It's going to take more late evening rehearsals, but we still have time to put this together."

It was dinner time when Santana finally arrived at Brittany's house. Britt had been discharged from the hospital earlier that day, and was propped up on pillows in the living room watching cartoons.

"Do you remember anything else?" Santana asked, taking Brittany's bruised hand in hers. She shook her head no and looked away again.

"Britt Britt, New Directions voted and we've decided to compete at Nationals. We want to do this for you. Is that okay?"

Kurt wrote on his white board, "Yes please. We've come too far to stop now."

The family and Santana had their dinner that night in relative silence. Brittany was on a liquid diet and the others really didn't eat much as they rolled their food back and forth on their plates deep in thought.

When Santana went home, she was feeling relieved, yet horrified. Although Brittany would be physically OK, Santana could tell that emotionally, Brittany had been severely scarred.

The next morning, despite their protests, the New Directions were in the choir room at 6 am. Finn, George, Liam and Harry were used to this by now, but the rest of the group weren't. Kurt was fast asleep on Mercedes' shoulder, and Tina was fast asleep next to Mike, who was also dozing off. Nobody but the four boys were fully awake, that was until Mr. Schue walked in. He walked in with Sue's bullhorn in his hand, and he blared it boisterously.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP!" He shouted, and they all jumped up. "Look, I know you're all tired, but if we want to take Nationals, we need to do this every morning until then. We're gonna need morning rehearsals, evening rehearsals, weekend rehearsals, and that's just for the group numbers. The soloists are going to need SO much more."

"Speaking of which, who's going to be soloing for the competition? I assume NSYNC 2.0 over there are going to get at least one." She said, bitterly pointing at Finn and his group. Mr. Schue scowled.

"Mercedes, ENOUGH! If we want to take Nationals, we ALL need to work together. We can't have any arguing whatsoever. If anyone has a problem with that, please leave now. It just means less tickets purchased to Los Angeles, so it works out better for me."

Nobody spoke. Despite her several bitchy comments, Mercedes really did want to go to Los Angeles and compete in Nationals.

"Good." Mr. Schue said, smiling at them. Now, in terms of solos. The way it's going to work is that for the first round, I would like to have one soloist, one performance from George's boy band, and then one full group number. Does anyone have any issues so far?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"OK, that's good. And then, if we make it to the top two, we have a final showdown against one other show choir. For this song, we are only allowed to have a maximum of 5 people on stage, so I was assuming that George's boy band would do this one as well. But don't worry, we get judged on all four songs, so it's not like our fate lies solely up to them."

"That sounds good, Mr. Schue." Kurt said. "But you four… you have to represent. You're not only competing for New Directions and Brittany, but you're competing for all of Lima."

George laughed nervously.

"Thanks. No pressure or anything." He muttered and everyone laughed.

"Don't worry. You'll do great." Mr. Schue said. "Oh, wait. One more thing. We need to nominate a team captain. Just for the paperwork and behind the scenes stuff. And in case there are disputes, the captain has to speak for his or her team. Does anyone want to nominate someone?"

Rachel raised a hand and Mr. Schue sighed.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. You can't nominate yourself." He said. Rachel rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No, actually I was going to nominate Finn." She said. Everyone's jaws dropped. It was like Tom had just nominated Jerry.

"You were?" Mr. Schue asked, failing to contain his shock and surprise. Rachel nodded.

"A couple of days ago, Jessie St. James came back into town. He asked me to the prom. I said no. But then he said something that really shook me…"

"Hold on. Who's Jessie St. James?" George asked. Bella, Finn, George, Liam and Harry all had no idea about the catastrophe that happened last year.

"Basically, the ex-male lead from Vocal Adrenaline joined New Directions shortly after you left, Finn. He started dating Rachel, and then dumped her and transferred back to Vocal Adrenaline 3 days before we left for New York for Nationals. Then, Vocal Adrenaline played distracting pranks on us so we couldn't use our limited time to prep for the competition. Needless to say, we didn't do too well during Nationals." Tina explained.

"Yeesh, that's hardcore." Finn exclaimed.

"Yeah, so hardcore!" George added. Tina nodded.

"Yeah, but it's fine. We're going to win this year. We have better people this year." She said.

"Yeah, so anyways. That's Jessie." Rachel said, about to continue her story. "And when I rejected his offer to go to prom with him, he said something that really shocked me. He said that our personalities are so much alike. I was first kind of insulted by that, as you all know what he did, but then I thought for a moment and I realised that he was right. I don't even know how many friendships I sacrificed for a solo. After realising that, I knew that I didn't want to be that person anymore. I want to change. Even if it really is just for the last few weeks of high school."

"Well, Rachel, that's very big of you." Mr. Schue said.

"Thanks." She replied. "And let's face it, Finn's the best singer here, the most liked guy too. He's our leader. Our Quarterback."

"Thanks, Rachel." Finn said, surprised. "That means a lot."

"I second her nomination for Finn." George said. "He's my boy."

"Does anyone have an objection to Finn being captain?" Mr. Schue asked. Nobody spoke. "Great. OK. Now let's get started…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next week flew by. If New Directions members weren't in class they were in rehearsals. All three of their competition numbers had to be retooled around Blaine and Kurt's parts.

While everyone was worried about Brittany, they were also excited about seeing Los Angeles and the west coast. The countdown was on. Performance costumes were pressed and packed while dance steps were fine tuned. Win or lose, this performance was for Brittany.

On Monday before Nationals on Saturday, Brittany returned to school. She went to her classes and sat in on the Glee rehearsals. It was sad to see her sit through all of the preparations knowing that she wouldn't be going.

Vocal Adrenaline and New Directions would be flying out of the Cincinnati Airport for Los Angeles together on Friday. It was organized chaos at the Cincinnati Airport with dozens of teenagers and parents. Finn had gone to check in his and Bella's luggage and had left Bella guarding their carry-on bags.

She was studying her itinerary when she heard a familiar voice and felt a pat on her shoulder.

"Hello Gorgeous! Long time no see!" the person said smoothly. She whipped around to see him, and she started trembling. It was Kyle, her ex-boyfriend from Canada, who she had dated for a month last year. They had broken up because Kyle was physically abusive to Bella, and he was verbally abusive too. He ended up being sentenced to two years in juvvie, so he shouldn't have been there.

"K-kyle, what are you doing here?" She stammered, stumbling back, and sweeping her eyes around the crowded airport, looking for Finn and the safety of his arms.

"I'm an 'exchange student' in Carmel High. I'm in Vocal Adrenaline, and we're here to wipe the floor with New Directions again," He said with a smirk as he looked down at Bella.

"How can that be? I thought you were in juvvie."

"I got out early for good behaviour. And now that I'm out, we can finally continue where we left off." He said, holding Bella's cheek, but she slapped his hand away. Bella couldn't see any of the New Directions anywhere, and suddenly, a soft hand slipped into hers. Brittany had noticed her fear and walked up and put her hand in Bella's as a show of support.

Kyle took one look at Brittany's wired black and blue face.

"So, is this what a caged bird who can't sing looks like? Are you here for moral support? You can't be making the trip to LA looking like that. I overheard some of my students at Carmel talking about two McKinley girls taking a beating, I guess one of them was you," Kyle smirked.

"Can I help you?" Finn asked, suddenly arriving and stepping in between the two parties. Bella let out a sigh of relief. Finn was there: she was safe. She cowered behind him.

"Finn, that's my ex, Kyle." She whispered. Finn's face went from confusion to anger.

"You mean the one who…?" He asked. She nodded. He turned back to face Kyle. Kyle was 6'1, and Finn towered over him.

"Look, dude, unless you want a few missing teeth, I suggest you walk away. Now." Finn growled. Kyle simply smirked at Finn's threat.

"I was just giving Brittany my condolences for her injuries. And I don't see a ring on her finger, so it's still open season for the lovely Miss Sutton," Kyle glared at Finn. Bella stepped next to Finn, and grabbed his hand as Finn was about to pounce.

"Kyle, I'm with Finn now. We've been a couple for a year. We're committed to each other. Please leave us alone," She asked.

The heated conversation between Finn and Kyle was beginning to draw attention. New Directions was gathering behind Finn and Vocal Adrenaline was backing up Jesse. Airport security had also taken notice.

While Finn and Kyle were exchanging insults and spit, Santana walked up and saw Kyle's face. She went pale. She ran over to Bella, who was standing a few paces away from Finn.

"That's him." Santana muttered to Bella. Bella looked confused.

"Huh?" She asked.

"That's the guy who beat up Britt and I. I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." She growled. Bella pulled her back, but shouted to Finn.

"Finn, Santana says Kyle's the guy from the fight!" Bella cried.

Finn turned his attention from Kyle to Bella and Santana, to back to Kyle. Finn grabbed the boy by both hands. His hands were covered with healing scrapes, small cuts, and yellowish-green bruises.

"How did your hands get like this?" Finn shouted in the boy's face.

"Back off Hudson! That's Kyle Hopkins and he's the star of Vocal Adrenaline!" Jesse St. James yelled while trying to defend his student from Finn's rage.

"Jessie? Why the hell are you here?" Rachel asked, shocked.

"I'm the interim director for Vocal Adrenaline."

"I don't care who he is! He's one of the boys that tried to kill Santana and Brittany" Finn screamed at Jesse, taking his attention from Kyle Hopkins for a second.

Kyle took the opportunity and swung hard hitting Finn squarely in the jaw. To his surprise, Finn barely flinched, and didn't even feel the hit. It was at that moment Kyle knew...he fucked up. Finn came back punching, and a fierce uppercut to Kyle's jaw, flooring him easily. The students tried to pull the two boys apart, but failed. Finn was banging Kyle's head against the check-in baggage conveyor belt, when Homeland Security intervened. They were immediately on top of things and had Finn and Craig in handcuffs.

Bella grabbed Brittany and pushed her to safety out of the churning mob of high school students and security personnel.

"Wait, you can't take him! He's our star, we can't win without him. Our plane leaves in less than an hour," Jesse yelled at the Homeland Security officers, trying to have them release Kyle.

"Tough lucky Buddy, your friend shouldn't have thrown a punch in an airport. We have to get to the bottom of this before we can release either one of them."

Jesse stood there, watching Homeland Security lead Kyle and Finn away. Bella had hung back with Brittany, trying to keep her out of harm's way.

"What are we going to do? We can't leave without Finn. The other guy hit Finn first," She said to Mr. Schuster who had joined them.

"We may have to if Homeland Security doesn't figure this out in time. Finn can still catch a later flight and join us before we have to compete in LA."

Bella stood there, crying into Brittany's shoulder as George's mom took off in the direction that Homeland Security had taken Finn.

"What are we going to do?" She cried softly into Brittany's shoulder.

Brittany pulled out a small note pad and wrote, "You're going to LA and kick some VA ass!"

Their flight was on time and the fourteen remaining members of New Directions boarded without Finn or Brittany. It was going to be a long flight.


	53. Chapter 53

The flight from Cincinnati with both New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline on board touched down in Los Angeles right on time.

Bella had stared at Finn's empty seat almost the whole flight wondering what was going on back in Ohio with Homeland Security and the guy from Vocal Adrenaline that Santana had recognized as one of the assailants.

Once inside the concourse, Bella dialed Finn's cell phone number again. It went straight to voicemail. Luckily, Finn's bag had made the flight without him. Bella asked George to help her find it on the luggage carousel and take it with them to their hotel.

Before leaving the LA airport, Bella looked up at the flight board one more time. There was a red-eye fight that left Cincinnati after midnight that would put Finn in Los Angeles in time for the first round of competition if Homeland Security released him in time to make it. She said a quick prayer to God, any God that was listening, that Finn would make it in time. He had worked especially hard for this competition, and she knew that it would kill him if he was not to be able to compete.

Back in Cincinnati, Finn and Kyle Hopkins were still in the Homeland Securities office being questioned. Mrs. Shelley and Brittany were waiting outside the office, along with Kyle's dad. Brittany was finally called in and identified Kyle as being the boy who had attacked her and Santana.

Feeling that this was a police problem and not a Homeland Security problem, the Cincinnati police were called. It took another hour before two officers arrived at the airport to take them to police headquarters. Kyle and Finn were brought handcuffed to the police station for more questioning before the Lima police were contacted. Between Kyle's rap sheet, Brittany identifying Kyle as her assailant, and Kyle throwing the first punch, the police saw no reason to hold Finn in custody any longer. When the Cincinnati police finally released Finn, another two hours had ticked by.

Bella was pacing the hotel room that she was sharing with Santana, Quinn and Tina, looking at her watch, impatiently, when her cell phone rang. It was Mr. Schue. New Directions would be having dinner together at 6:00 in the hotel's main dining room and then he had booked the hotel's largest conference room for reworking their routines again in case Finn didn't make it.

At dinner, Rachel couldn't help but notice Vocal Adrenaline on the far side of the large dining hall. Jessie seemed to be locked in a vigorous conversation with some adults who had been on the plane in first class with Jessie. "Probably some of the Vocal Adrenaline alumni with deep pockets and influence that she had heard about," Rachel thought to herself. Jesse seemed to be on the defensive as the two men and two women were in his face.

"Do you see that?" Mercedes asked Rachel. "When security was dragging Finn and that Vocal Adrenaline guy away at the airport, didn't Jesse say that the other guy was their star? If Jesse has stuck to his plan of one central performer, Vocal Adrenaline may be screwed."

"I've watched Vocal Adrenaline for two years, and that seems to be their formula. One central performer while the others dance and sing back-up around them. Jesse was their star two years ago and Sunshine was their star until she went back to the Philippines," Rachel smiled, observing the dressing down that Jesse was taking in front of everyone.

"If that Kyle guy is this year's star, their team may be a boat without a paddle," Rachel said to her friend.

Dinner was over by seven and the members of New Directions gathered in the large conference room on the second floor.

"Have you heard from Finn?" Mr. Schuster questioned Bella and George anxiously.

"Not a word." George replied. "My mom said that he was being questioned by Homeland Security at the airport before the Cincinnati police showed up. They're questioning Brittany too."

"We have enough members to compete, but just barely. All we have to do is get through the eliminations to stay in the competitions. Finn can join us for the showdown when he gets here."

"I think we should be prepared in case Finn doesn't get here in time. How about if we switch up our songs and rather than Finn, George, Liam and I singing, we have a different group sing?" Harry suggested.

"Why don't we just have another guy take Finn's spot. That way, we don't have to change much." Tina suggested. George shook his head.

"No, that won't work. Finn's the lead vocalist in both songs the four of us are meant to be performing. Having someone else take his place would ruin the harmony."

"I agree with George." Mr. Schue said. "No offense boys, but none of you have the right kind of voice to take Finn's part. So why don't we switch to Edge of Glory, with Bella, Quinn, Santana and… oh crap. Brittany's not here!"

"OK, so what song should we do?" Mercedes asked, frantically. Everyone was starting to freak out.

"I have an idea. Why doesn't Rachel join Quinn's, Bella's and my number?" Santana suggested. "Sure her choreography won't be great, but she can sing pretty well."

Everyone agreed, and they started rehearsing. Suddenly, George's phone rang. He picked it up. It was Finn!

"Guys! Guys! It's Finn!" George shouted, and everyone quietened down immediately. "Hey Finn!" George said.

"Hey man. How's it going?" Finn asked.

"Pretty bad, not gonna lie. Everyone's kinda freaking out. Do you think you'll make it in time?"

"I don't know. I missed the last direct flight from Cincinnati to L.A, so I'm hot potatoeing across the country. I'm about to fly to Denver right now. I'm then getting on a plane to Las Vegas, and then from there, am taking a flight to L.A. If none of the flights are cancelled or delayed, I should be in L.A by tomorrow morning, in time for the afternoon's performance. But if there's any delays, I'm sorry."

"Well, good luck, dude. And by the way, you're girlfriend's beating me up right now, trying to grab the phone from me. Can you please call her?"

"Um… sure. Her phone was off when I tried before."

"Well try again. See you, Finn."

"Bye."

After getting off the phone with George, Finn had a quick conversation with Bella, before getting on the flight to Denver. The next hours went by excruciatingly slowly, as he had to endure the various horrors of sleeping next to a screaming baby, snoring businessman, and a pregnant woman who took up half of Finn's seat as well and needed to go to the toilet every couple of minutes. However, eventually, Finn touched down in Los Angeles. He tried to call George and Bella, but both of their phones were turned off. He left the airport, and what he saw next was a disaster.

The roads were backed up for miles! Every car had turned off its engine, drivers wandering on the highway, looking up and down for an opening. Then came the sirens shooting up the service lane, police, fire and ambulance. A chopper flew low over head and began to land a mile further up, that's when folks settled back in their cars for a long wait. It was a combination of a car accident, as well as rush hour traffic, and the results weren't pretty. Traffic wound its way down the road like a great angry snake, tires hissing over the wet road. It was stop-start, cars were hopping down the road like hog-tied frogs toward yet another set of springtime roadworks. A procession of headlights on the highway, tail lights snaking their way down the road and over the brow of a hill, cars bumper to bumper, exhaust fumes belching out, blurred headlights through the driving rain, traffic at a stand still, traffic jam, traffic nose to tail right down the high street, the highway became a giant parking lot.

Finn thought to himself: what should he do? It was a 40 minute car journey if there was no traffic on the road, so it would take several hours to arrive with the current traffic. He wouldn't make it in time! Suddenly, something caught his eye. There was a line of rental bikes at the side of the car park. Finn took a deep breath and calculated. If he cycled for 3 straight hours, he would make it to the hotel with just enough time to get changed and get ready, before they had to leave for the performance hall. Finn sprinted over to the bike stand, quickly paid, and then sped out onto the streets.

Three hours later, panting and heaving for breath, Finn arrived at the hotel car park. He flew off the bike and ran into the hotel. The New Directions weren't in the hotel lobby or the conference room, so Finn took the lift up to the 6th floor. He had been texted the room information by George the day before, so Finn immediately found room 602 and pounded on the room. He could hear singing voices inside, and they immediately shut up as one person walked over to the door. Bella opened the door and her face lit up.

"BABE!" She screamed, leaping into his arms. Finn kissed her and let out a sigh of relief. He had made it! He was led inside, and everyone erupted in happiness and relief. They were able to revert back to their original set list, and they stood a good chance of winning. A couple of hours later, the New Directions got into a subway train and travelled to the venue for Nationals. For the first time ever, there weren't any arguments between the members of the New Directions - the stakes were higher than ever, and they were all competing for a united purpose: to win it for Mr. Schue and for Brittany. According to Santana, Brittany's jaw was going to be unwired soon, and she would be able to talk again. Her arm was still bandaged and in a sling though, and the bruises were long from healing. She was cheering for them from back in Lima though, and they had all spoken to her on a video call the night before. As they sat in the subway carriage, nerves were palpable. Finn couldn't stop fidgeting. He probably got up and sat down at least a hundred times before the train finally stopped at their station. They walked into the building, and they were checked in pretty quickly. There were 15 teams performing so it was going to be a long day. Out of the corner of Finn's eye, he noticed Vocal Adrenaline, led by their coach - Jessie St. James - walking towards them. He scowled at them. There was a plus side though: at least that dick Kyle Hopkins wasn't there. He was still in Lima, being held by Cincinnati police. He was going to be deported back to Canada, where he - as an over 18 year old - would be tried for assault and possibly imprisoned.

"What's up New Directions?" Jessie smirked at them, and they all turned to him and sighed.

"What do you want, Jessie?" Rachel snapped.

"Just wanted to wish you guys luck. You may have taken our best performer, but we've still got you right where we want you. After all, we do have more experience." He said.

"Let your performance do the talking, not your mouth." Finn spat. Jessie turned to him and scowled. Finn was the reason that his best singer was back in Ohio, and his team's victory was in jeopardy.

"Listen up, tough guy." Jessie said, squaring up to Finn. "You might be what's up in Lima, but here, you're nobody." He said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"We'll see." Finn replied coolly, and Jessie stalked off. The New Directions were then shown to the greenroom, and then finally, after the first 9 groups had performed, New Directions were called backstage. Rachel would be performing solo to open the show, followed by a whole group number, and then finally, the four guys' number with the rest of the group dancing around them. When they were announced, Rachel took to the stage…


	54. Chapter 54

Rachel looked around at the audience as she stepped on stage. It was her first experience performing for an audience this large - there were around 2000 people tightly packed in the auditorium. There were friends and family of the members of the 15 various groups, as well as various people who lived in L.A and were keen to get a dirt-cheap but high-quality singing show. She didn't let the nerves get to her head though. She needed to keep it together, and it would give her practise for when she was on Broadway in the future. She started singing.

_We could just go home right now_

_Or maybe we could stick around_

_For just one more drink, oh yeah_

_Get another bottle out_

_Let's shoot the breeze_

_Sit back down_

_For just one more drink, oh yeah_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to love_

_All the times_

_That we messed up_

_Here's to you_

_Fill the glass_

_Cause the last few days_

_Have gone too fast_

_So lets give em hell_

_Wish everybody well_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us_

_We stuck it out this far together_

_Put our dreams through the shredder_

_Let's toast cause things got better_

_And everything could change like that_

_And all these years go by so fast_

_But nothing lasts forever_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to love_

_All the times_

_That we messed up_

_Here's to you_

_Fill the glass_

_Cause the last few nights_

_Have gone too fast_

_If they give you hell_

_Tell em to forget themselves_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to all that we kissed_

_And to all that we missed_

_To the biggest mistakes_

_That we just wouldn't trade_

_To us breaking up_

_Without us breaking down_

_To whatever's come our way_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us!_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to love_

_All the times_

_That we messed up_

_Here's to you_

_Fill the glass_

_Cause the last few days_

_Have gone too fast_

_If they give you hell_

_Tell em forget themselves_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us_

_Oh here's to us_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to love_

_(Here's to us)_

_Wish everybody well_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to love_

_Here's to us_

_Here's to us_

**For the actual song, visit:**

[Glee - Here's To Us](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZemPI9jlFXo)

Rachel nailed the performance, and she knew it. She beamed as the crowd clapped loudly for her. The New Directions weren't done yet. They were long from it. Their next song was just as upbeat as the first, but it was a lot more carefree - it was Good Times by Carly Rae Jepsen.

**Kurt:**

_Woke up on the right side of the bed_

_What's up with this Prince song inside my head?_

**Liam:**

_Hands up if you're down to get down tonight_

_'Cause it's always a good time_

**Puck, Sam, Artie and Mike:**

_Slept in all my clothes like I didn't care_

_Hopped into a cab, take me anywhere_

**Liam:**

_I'm in if you're down to get down tonight_

_'Cause it's always a good time_

**Bella:**

_Good morning and good night_

_I wake up at twilight_

**Bella and George:**

_It's gonna be alright_

**George:**

_We don't even have to try_

_It's always a good time_

**All:**

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_We don't even have to try, it's always a good time_

**Santana:**

_Freaked out, dropped my phone in the pool again_

_Checked out of my room hit the ATM_

**Quinn:**

_Let's hang out if you're down to get down tonight_

_'Cause it's always a good time_

**Finn:**

_Good morning and good night_

**Rachel:**

_I wake up at twilight_

**Finn and Rachel:**

_It's gonna be alright we don't even have to try_

_It's always a good time_

**All:**

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_We don't even have to try, it's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_We don't even have to try, it's always a good time_

**Mercedes:**

_Doesn't matter when_

_It's always a good time then_

**Finn:**

_Doesn't matter where_

_It's always a good time there_

**Tina:**

_Doesn't matter when,_

_It's always a good time then_

_It's always a good time_

**All:**

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_We don't even have to try, it's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_We don't even have to try, it's always a good time_

_Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh,_

_It's always a good time_

**To see the actual song, click:**

[X Factor 2012 - Good Times](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TMZ0jzvt6E)

The fast, upbeat song was a great choice for the New Directions. It showcased each and every one of their voices, and it was a crowd pleaser. Sure enough, the audience were roaring after this song. But what was coming next was even better. It was a song you couldn't help but smile when listening to. An all-time classic summer hit. It was… Summer of 69, by Bryan Adams, and it was going to be performed by Finn, George, Liam and Harry with the rest of the group dancing around them.

Finn and the three other guys quickly mounted a slightly higher stage so that they would be emphasised during the song. The music started playing, and the audience cheered when they recognized the opening guitar riff and they all started bopping their heads to the music.

**Finn:**

_I got my first real six-string_

_Bought it at the five-and-dime_

_Played it till my fingers bled_

_Was the summer of '69_

**George:**

_Me and some guys from school_

_Had a band and we tried real hard_

_Jimmy quit, Jody got married_

_Shoulda known, we'd never get far_

**All:**

_Oh when I look back now_

_That summer seemed to last forever_

_And if I had the choice_

_Yeah, I'd always want to be there_

_Those were the best days of my life_

_Oh yeah_

_Back in the summer of '69_

_Ohhh_

At this point in the song, they jumped off the larger stage, and onto the same level stage as the rest of the New Directions. They then walked over to the judges' table, and circled them. The panel for Nationals contained Perez Hilton, Martin Fong and celebrity guest judge music mogul Simon Cowell. The judges smiled at the boys as they continued singing.

_Man we were killin' time_

_We were young and restless_

_We needed to unwind_

_I guess nothin' can last forever, forever, no_

At this point, right before the outro, they rejoined the rest of the New Directions back on stage, and with the group dancing around them, they finished the song and New Directions' performance on an extremely high note.

_Back in the summer of '69_

_Oh yeah_

_Back in the summer of '69, of '69, of '69_

_Back in the summer of '69_

_Oh yeah_

_Back in the summer of '69_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[One Direction - Summer of 69](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9iOGT5hP40) **

The applause, screaming and cheering that the boys got at the end of the song was insane. Not a single person in the sold-out auditorium was sitting down - they were all on their feet, screaming for an encore. Of course, the boys couldn't oblige them with that unless they were in the final 2 of course. After their performance, they nervously watched the final 5 groups perform. Vocal Adrenaline were amongst them, and New Directions counted their blessings that Kyle wasn't among them. After all, even without their star, Vocal Adrenaline still put on an incredible show. After almost half an hour of deliberation, Simon Cowell took to the stage to announce who were the two teams that advanced to the final showdown, which would occur later that night.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen." He said. The man had such gravitas to his voice, and he commanded the attention of every soul in the room. The vast auditorium went from buzzing, to tensely silent. "I would like to start by congratulating each and every performer here today. Your hard work has brought you all here, and you are officially the top 15 show choirs in the whole country. If it were up to me, every single one of you would be receiving a gold medal. But unfortunately that can't be the case. We've had to pick two teams that stood out for us in particular, and those two will proceed to the showdown. Without further ado, the first team we're sending through is our defending Show Choir champs, Vocal Adrenaline!"

Vocal Adrenaline leapt into the air and hugged each other. The audience weren't aware of all the crap surrounding Vocal Adrenaline - all they knew was that Vocal Adrenaline were an incredible group - so needless to say, the audience were thrilled that they would be seeing Vocal Adrenaline perform one more time. New Directions were on the edge of their seats. There was one spot left. One spot, 14 amazing teams. The odds were stacked against them, but there was still a chance. Simon opened his mouth to announce the second team.

"And the second team, also from Ohio, New Directions!"

There was an uproar as soon as the words left Simon's mouth. The New Directions started screaming in joy, diving on top of each other and cheering as loud as they possibly could. Even the audience was delighted that they made it: Finn's group's performance of Summer of 69 was still fresh in their minds. The whole team group hugged, joining Vocal Adrenaline on stage for the presentation of the two grand finalists. Simon stood between the two groups.

"Congratulations to the both of you. Well, this means that for the first time in U.S High School Show Choir history, we have a guaranteed first and second place from the same state. Now, enough celebrations, it's time for the showdown. We'll just take a 15 minute break first. New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline, please come with me." He said. The two groups followed him out the room and they were led into the green room. The New Directions stood at the far left of the room, and Vocal Adrenaline at the far right. Vocal Adrenaline knew the next stage in the competition all too well, so they smirked cockily at the New Directions - they knew that they were only a few short steps from victory. New Directions, however, were all standing nervously to attention, their arms draped around each other's shoulders.

"So… the way this is going to work is that each of you are going to nominate one member to represent you in the grand final. The two representatives will take to the stage and compete in the sing off. In the sing off, the band will play a backing track to a current song, and the two competitors will take it in turns to sing four bars from a song of their choice, harmonizing with the backing track. The first person to stumble or repeat a song loses. Please choose your contestants now."

Vocal Adrenaline immediately sent forward Noah Johnson - a veteran Vocal Adrenaline member who was in senior year and was used to the process of the sing off. In fact, he had represented them in sophomore and junior years, so was hungry to finish his high school experience with 3 wins in a row. Meanwhile, New Directions were having a bit more trouble deciding on their representative.

"I feel like I should do it." Rachel said. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"With all due respect Rach, I think this is a bit out of your depth. After all, a lot of the songs you know and sing are Broadway, and that's not what they're looking for."

Rachel reluctantly nodded and stood down. Mercedes was the next to volunteer.

"I'll do it, Mr. Schue." She said.

"How is choosing you any different to Rachel?" Santana asked. "You just sing R'n'B rather than Broadway."

"That's true." Mercedes muttered.

"How about Finn?" Quinn suggested. "He's our best singer, he's the best of all of us at modern pop music. He should be the representative."

Everyone nodded and looked at Finn. Finn, who was looking down at the ground, suddenly looked up when he heard his name thrown around.

"No, no, no." Finn said, trying to get himself out of it. "I don't want all of the pressure purely on me. If I screw up, then all of our hard work from this whole year would be for nothing."

"Come on, babe. That's not true." Bella said, slipping her hand into his. "First of all, we've already guaranteed second place, and that's a wonderful achievement. Winning first would be nice, but nobody would blame you if you lost. And let's face it, out of everyone here, you stand the best chance of beating Vocal Adrenaline."

"She's right." Santana added. "Please do it, Finn. If not for us then for Brittany. You saw her in the hospital. She didn't look too great. I know she'll be happy with second, but she won't be happy if we don't give first place everything we've got."

Finn sighed.

"Damn it, Santana. You make good points. I'll do it…"


	55. Chapter 55

" _I'll do it."_

Everyone cheered when Finn finally stepped up and agreed to represent the team. He walked up to Simon Cowell and Noah Johnson, who were standing at the front of the room. Finn shook hands with Simon, and Simon smiled at him.

"Hey, Mr. Hudson. It's really nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He said, shaking Finn's hand. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"You have?" Finn asked, surprised. Simon nodded.

"I always have my ear to the pavement when it comes to musical talent."

'SIMON COWELL THINKS I'M TALENTED?!' Finn's thoughts screamed at him. Luckily, before he could embarrass himself and say stupid, Simon continued speaking.

"Anyways, both of you, please listen to the backing track and start thinking about the songs you want to sing. The rest of you, please retake your seats in the auditorium. We'll be starting in 5 minutes." He played a backing track on his phone and then showed the two show choirs out the room so that the competitors could have quiet. As Jessie was walking out the room, he whispered something in Finn's ear.

"Good luck, Jolly Green Giant." He muttered. "I know you won't let me down. You're going to screw up for your team like you always do."

Jessie tried to get into Finn's head, and it was unfortunately successful. Finn clenched his fists in anger and walked away, determined to ignore anything Jessie said to him. The two competitors listened intently to the song. It was a similar backing track as in 2U by David Guetta, and by the end of the song, Finn had thought of a lot of different song verses to sing. Finally, a couple of minutes later, Simon came back into the room.

"Showtime. You boys ready?" He asked. Finn and Noah nodded and followed Simon back onto the stage. As the boys walked on stage, sat in the two opposite chairs on stage and were handed headpiece microphones, the crowd cheered and screamed in support of their favourite act. Finn could see the New Directions in the front row of the right half of the auditorium and Vocal Adrenaline on the left half. Bella winked at him and blew a kiss at him. Finn smiled faintly back at her. He was more nervous than he had ever been before. Now, if he screwed up, it would be in front of 2000 people. Just stepping on the stage made his breathing rapid and shallow. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples. It was a relief to get to his chair, because between his heels and legs shaking, he was afraid he'd trip. The only thing worse than the nerves when he walked on stage was the nerves when both boys were ready to start and the music would be beginning at any moment. Before they started, Finn and Noah shook hands as a show of sportsmanship, even if they spent that time trying to break each other's fingers with their insanely strong grips. Noah had drawn the first spot, so he would be singing the first four bars, and Finn the next four bars, and they would keep alternating. Eventually, the music started playing and Noah started singing.

**For the following song, click:**

[Mashup](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fspeBQf-4pg)

Noah started with a simple verse from the classic Justin Timberblake song: Cry Me a River.

**Noah:**

_You were my sun, you were my earth_

_But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no_

Finn also came out swinging, singing a chorus from the equally popular song by Passenger - Let Her Go. He had such emotion and soul in his voice, and the audience already knew that it was going to be a tight battle. One slip up and the other team would be crowned champions. It was a LOT of pressure.

**Finn:**

_Well you only need the light when it's burning low_

_Only miss the sun when it starts to snow_

_Only know you love her when you let her go_

_And you let her go_

Noah's retaliation to Finn's excellent first verse was a short bridge from The Chainsmokers' Don't Let Me Down. He was used to this kind of competition by now, so he was going in as favourite. Finn wasn't going to fail easily though.

**Noah:**

_I need ya, I need ya, I need you right now_

_Yeah, I need you right now_

Finn decided to switch it up and go with a verse from a completely different kind of song: Taylor Swift's I Knew You Were Trouble. Finn thanked God that his years on the streets of Toronto and busking in Hawaii had given him such range in what he could sing.

**Finn:**

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in._

Finn's celebration was short lived though. Noah came right back with the bridge to Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars. Sure there was some coarse language in the song, but it was still a perfect verse for the backing track. Finn was secretly cursing himself that he hadn't thought of that song. But he couldn't dwell. Every second had to be spent on thinking of the next song.

**Noah:**

_Cause your sex takes me to paradise_

_Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise_

The beat was about to drop in their backing track, so Finn knew that his next choice had to be a little bit faster. He went with a rap this time: R Kelly's Ignition remix.

**Finn:**

_It's the remix to ignition_

_Hot and fresh out the kitchen_

_Mama rollin' that body_

_Got every man in here wishin'_

Finn singing a rap gave Noah an idea for his. Noah used DJ Snake's Middle as his short bars right before the beat dropped.

**Noah:**

_With us two in the middle_

Finn was in a tough spot now. He would have to sing right after the beat dropped and the song was at its loudest and fastest. Luckily, he had planned for this situation and decided to just speed up one of his favourite love ballads in the world - All of Me by John Legend.

**Finn:**

_All of me_

_Loves all of you_

_All your curves and all your edges_

_All your perfect imperfections_

Noah went for, once again, a very different approach. It was clearly to see what the boy was doing. He was planning to try and run down the time until the end of the song. He did this because if neither one of them had messed up by the end of the song, the judges would choose a winner by who was more creative. Right now, Noah had the upper hand, but hopefully it wouldn't stay this way. Noah sang Clarity by Zedd.

**Noah:**

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?_

Rachel knew exactly what Noah was trying to do, and she turned to Mr. Schue, who was sitting next to her.

"Mr. Schue. We're not going to win. Neither boy is going to mess up, and Finn is going to lose because Noah's playing it less safe than Finn!" She exclaimed.

"Just have a little faith in Finn." Mr. Schue said. "I'm sure he'll pull a bit of magic out of his sleeve."

Finn's next choice was unique. It was Where Are You Now by Jack U.

**Finn:**

_I gave you the key when the door wasn't open, just admit it._

_See I gave you faith turned your doubt in to hoping, can't deny it._

Finn's happiness didn't last long once again. Sure Finn had done something different that round, but Noah had just chosen Toxic by Britney Spears. A gamble, but one that unfortunately worked in Vocal Adrenaline's favour.

**Noah:**

_With a taste of your lips I'm on a ride_

_You're toxic I'm slipping under_

Singing a song by that kind of artist gave Finn an idea. If Noah could do Britney, then Finn could do Amy Whinehouse. He decided on Rehab.

**Finn:**

_They tried to make me go to rehab_

_I said, "no, no, no"_

Noah then completely switched the style of his song choices as the backing track started slowly building up in volume and speed once again.

**Noah:**

_These are my confessions_

_Just when I thought I said all I can say_

_My chick on the side said she got one on the way_

_These are my confessions_

_Man I'm thrown and I dont know what to do_

_I guess I gotta give you part two of my confessions_

New Directions were on the edge of their seats. Sure they had faith in Finn, and they definitely rathered him competing than anyone else in the group, but Vocal Adrenaline were just so good. They were better prepared, better staffed and more experienced. Was it really possible for New Directions to sneak a victory? Finn decided to go with an all-time classic: Can't Hold Us by Macklemore, one of Finn's favourite songs.

**Finn:**

_Here we go back, this is the moment_

_Tonight is the night, we'll fight till it's over_

_So we put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us_

_Like the ceiling can't hold us_

The audience and the judges were absolutely loving it. This was the longest sing off they had had in years - the others ended when one competitor messed up after less than a minute. The audience didn't dare clap or cheer in fear of distracting the competitors, so instead sat completely still and enjoyed the show. Noah, playing extremely cheaply, decided to slip in a two bar verse right before the beat drop, meaning that Finn would have to, once again, sing after. It was neck and neck and probably would go right till the end.

**Noah:**

_Where are you now that I need ya?_

Thinking extremely fast as he only had two bars to think rather than 4, Finn decided on his song choice. Again, a classic - Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye.

**Finn:**

_But you didn't have to cut me off_

_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_

_And I don't even need your love_

_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

Because Noah had only sung 2 bars rather than four last time, the rule was that during his next turn, he would have to sing 8 bars. He did exactly that, opting to sing Nickelback's Rockstar and Wicked Games by The Weeknd.

**Noah:**

_'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars_

_And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars_

_The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap_

_We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat_

_Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar_

_Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar hee-eee_

_I left my girl back home_

_I don't love her no more_

Finn knew that time was running out, so he decided to pull out all the stops and sing Ed Sheeran. Finn knew that he could kill absolutely any Ed SHeeran song he sang, so he opted for his favourite… Ed Sheeran's debut single, A Team.

**Finn:**

_And they say_

_She's in the Class A Team_

"Uhm… uhm…" Noah stammered, at a complete loss for a song to sing next. He had never gotten this far in a sing off, and his arsenal was finally reading empty. A buzzer went off, indicating that the sing off was over. Finn couldn't believe it! New Directions were National Show Choir Champions! It took a few moments for it to truly sink in, and it did, the New Directions flew out of their seats and embraced Finn. They were so relieved, and were over the moon. Finn was caught in the middle of a frenzy of high fives, fist bumps and hugs. Will accepted the colossal Nationals trophy from Simon and he lifted it triumphantly into the air. Finn watched Jessie, Noah and the rest of Vocal Adrenaline storm out of the auditorium and Finn smiled. He had done it for himself, for Brittany and Santana, and for the whole new Directions group who had been working their asses off all year. After everything that he had been through in the past two year and everything he was about to go through next year in the army, Finn truly deserved the win.

When the audience started to file out of the auditorium, Finn and the New Directions left the auditorium and were about to go out for dinner when Finn shivered and realised that he forgot his jacket in the green room.

"Uhm… Mr. Schue. I forgot my jacket in the green room. Can I quickly run and get it?" Finn asked. Mr. Schue nodded.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." Mr. Schue replied, smiling at him. After his performance in the sing off, Finn could probably have asked for the moon and the stars and Mr. Schue would've found a way to get them for him. Bella grabbed his hand.

"I'll come with you." She said. Finn smiled and squeezed her hand gently. The two of them walked back into the auditorium complex together and they snuck back into the green room. Finn spied his jacket lying on one of the armchairs and he quickly grabbed it. As they were walking out, they saw Simon walking in. He smiled at them.

"Ahh… Finn! And who's this?" He asked, politely, looking at Bella.

"Um… Mr. Cowell, this is Bella, my girlfriend. She's also in New Directions."

"Well congratulations to both of you. Your team deserved to be victorious today."

"Thank you." They both replied.

"Oh… Finn. I had one more thing to talk to you about. You remember how I said that I knew about you before today?"

Finn nodded and Simon continued.

"Basically, I always look in this competition for potential future singers, boy bands or girl groups. When I heard about you, I went on the internet and watched every single performance that I could find, even some that aren't even on youtube. I found some pretty bizarre ones. Some you were on a street corner, some you were in Hawaii, some you were in Lima, and then today in L.A. But there's one thing in common in every single video. You, Mr. Hudson reek of talent. You can sense your talent from a mile away, and you're exactly the kind of guy we look to sign record deals with. Which is why we at Syco Music would like to offer you an opportunity. We would like to help you write your debut single, and if it does a good job, we would sign you for an album deal!"

Finn and Bella's jaws dropped. Finn would have thought that he was dreaming if Bella's facial expression wasn't exactly the same as his. Finn immediately knew his answer.

"Wow… um… Mr. Cowell. I'm really, really flattered. But… I think I'll have to politely decline." Finn said. Bella and Simon looked at him in amazement.

"What?" Bella asked in shock.

"May I ask why?" Simon asked, very politely. Finn nodded.

"Don't get me wrong, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me, and I've been dreaming for an opportunity like this for the past decade. But I've already made future plans for the next 4 years, and I'm nothing if not I man of my word and stick with what I committed to."

Simon nodded.

"I see. You could always move to L.A though." He pointed out. Finn laughed.

"I could. But it would be a pretty long commute to Afghanistan every day. Or Iraq for that matter."

"Oh, are you joining the military? What branch?" He asked.

"Army." Finn replied. "I've signed up for a 4 year enlistmenet, and I intend to honor that commitment."

"I understand. It was worth a go. But please, take my business card. When you get discharged, we'd love to have you audition." Simon said, holding out a business card. Finn smiled and took it, putting it in his wallet.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Cowell. Even if I don't end up being signed to your record label in the future, just being considered is such an honour."

"Well you deserve it. And if you fight as well as you sing, I know that I'll sleep a little easier knowing that you're protecting the country."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Finn said, and Finn and Bella left the complex.


	56. Chapter 56

As soon as they were out of earshot, Bella grabbed him by his shirt collar and shook him like crazy.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bella yelled at him. "That man was offering you a record deal and you REJECTED him? Are you high or something?"

Finn shook his head.

"Please don't." He murmured, and it was at that moment that Bella realised how shaken and disappointed Finn was. She let go of his shirt collar, but not before she accidentally ripped it slightly.

"Finn, I'm so sorry. I…"

"Look, you don't think that was hard for me to say?" Finn said quietly. "Rejecting my dream job offer, just so that I can fight a bloody war in Afghanistan. Please don't make this any more difficult than it already is."

"Yeah, I know. I'm so sorry."

Finn looked down at her and faintly smiled.

"I love you." He said. "So much."

Bella pulled him into a long kiss.

"I love you so much too. Now let's go find our friends." She said. Finn nodded and the two of them walked around until they finally saw the New Directions gathered around, waiting for them. Finn and Bella walked over to them. Just before they arrived, Finn turned to Bella.

"Hey, one more thing." Finn said. "Please don't tell anyone about me being offered a record deal."

Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? If I got a record deal, I would literally write a song called 'I Got A Record Deal."

Finn laughed then shook his head.

"Well, a lot of New Directions already think that I'm a bit overprivileged, with Mr. Schue giving my group and I extra gigs and solos and stuff. I just think that them finding out that I rejected something that so many of them would die for won't make me any friends."

Bella nodded.

"Finn, anyone who knows you would say that you're the opposite of over privileged. You should be proud of your achievements… Hey guys!" Bella said, as they finally made it to the rest of the group. Puck took one look at Finn and couldn't help but snicker.

"Ooh, somebody got busy in the greenroom just now." He remarked. Mr. Schue looked at Finn and Bella.

"Seriously guys? That's what you were doing?" He glared at his students, but wasn't too mad, to be honest. Bella and Finn however were horrified.

"What? NO! Of course not!" Finn exclaimed. "I just forgot my jacket, that's all."

"Ok, then why is your shirt collar all ruffled, with one button ripped out?" Puck asked, and Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow at them.

"We weren't having sex! I unbuttoned my top button because it was kinda choking me, and the button broke off." Finn said in a cool tone.

"Uh huh." Puck said, not quite convinced. "You were gone for like 20 minutes. The green room is less than five minutes away."

"Since when were you a detective?" Finn said, not losing his even tone. A replay of the conversation he had had with Simon earlier roared through his head. Had he made the right choice? It was too late to back out of the army officially, but there were always other ways he could get out of service. No, Finn told himself. He made a commitment to the military, and he intended to honour it. He tore himself away from his thoughts and forced himself to focus on Puck, who was still convinced that something dirty had occurred in the green room. What lie could Finn tell that Puck would buy?

"Answer the question, guys." Mercedes said, smiling playfully at them. "What were you doing?"

Finn and Bella were put on the spot like deers in headlights.

"Uh… uhm…" Finn said, trying to think of a decent answer. Suddenly, Bella broke the silence.

"Finn was offered a record deal by Simon Cowell and he rejected it!" Bella blurted out. Finn turned to her and scowled.

"Seriously, Bella? What happened to not telling anyone?" Finn snapped. She blushed.

"I'm so sorry, babe." She said. "But it's better than them thinking that we're sex-deprived animals, isn't it?"

"Wait, you guys were telling the truth?" Kurt asked. "He offered you a record deal."

Finn shrugged.

"Kind of. Simon offered me a chance to write and record a debut single with his record label - Syco Music, with the view to signing on for an album if my single does well." Finn explained.

"And you didn't accept the offer?" George asked, incredulously. "Isn't it your dream to be a professional singer-songwriter?"

Finn nodded.

"It is, and I would have gladly accepted it if I hadn't already made a commitment to the Army for the next 4 years."

"Couldn't you just pull out of the Army?" Santana asked. "I'm sure they'd understand."

Finn shook his head.

"I can't do that, nor do I want to. I've already signed all forms and contracts with the Army, and there's no official way of going back. I'd have to lie and fake an emergency, which is something I would never do. I've committed to the military, and that's what I'm going to do for the next four years."

After Finn finished speaking, everyone went silent for a moment. Mercedes ended up breaking that silence.

"Unbelievable. All of us would die for that opportunity, and it's given to the one person who rejects it." She spat, bitterly. Finn looked down at the ground, not saying anything.

"Woah, that's not really fair!" Santana exclaimed. "Finn's going to fight for this country so that ignorant people like us can live in peace. You shouldn't be pissed at him for something that's out of his control."

Mercedes was about to respond when Mr. Schue raised a hand.

"Guys, please. No fighting today. WE WON NATIONALS TODAY!" He exclaimed. They all cheered. "Now, let's go get some dinner to celebrate."

They ended up eating at one of the local pizza joints - all of them pigged out on massive slices of pizza and sublime milkshakes. Finn sat sandwiched between Bella and George, and he opposite Tina. The whole table was chatting about their next year's plans. By this point, they had all finalised where they were going next year, and it spanned across the whole country. Rachel and Kurt were going to NYADA in New York; Liam, George and Harry were going to University of Toronto back in Canada; Mike was going to Joffrey Ballet Academy of Dance in Chicago; Sam was going to Ohio State; Artie was going to the Brooklyn Film Academy to study movie direction; Tina was studying mathematics at Brown University; Santana was studying business at UPENN; Brittany wasn't going to college - she was instead going to live in Pennsylvania with Santana and become a dance coach for young children, a job she would be absolutely perfect for; Mercedes was studying at UCLA whilst trying to get herself a record deal; Quinn and Bella were both studying at Yale in New Haven; Puck was studying at LSU; and finally, Finn, of course, was joining the Army, so would be in the U.S for Basic Training, and then wherever the Army sent him for deployment.

"So Finn, do you have any idea of what you want to do in the Army? I know that there's different fields, right? Like medic, infantry, sniper, etc." Mr. Schue asked Finn. Finn shrugged.

"Um… I mean I can't really tell until I realise what my strengths are. That's partly what the ten weeks of Basic Training is for. But I've always kind of wanted to be a special ops soldier. You know, the green berets?"

"Isn't that kind of dangerous?" Bella asked in a short, clipped tone. Finn raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, because the rest of the Army is all flower-picking, isn't it?" Finn remarked, sarcastically.

"Man's got a point." Liam said. By this point, the whole table was listening to the conversation, and were stating their opinions. Most of the girls wanted him to be a medic, driver or any other field that didn't involve him firing too many bullets, but the guys recommended for him to be right in the thick of the action as an infantry man, or special ops man.

"Are you excited to get deployed? Be honest, Finn." Mr. Schue asked.

"Honestly… yeah, I am. I can't wait to be fighting for this country." Finn replied.

"Finn, I had a question…" George said.

"Shoot." Finn replied, turning to him.

"Why aren't you fighting in the Canadian Armed Forces? You've technically got dual citizenship, right? And you were born and raised in Canada. Why would you rather fight for this place rather than our home country."

Finn sighed.

"Um… look don't get me wrong: I'll always say that I'm originally Canadian, but honestly, the States are probably my home now. Like what did Canada give me? A physically abusive father who was a veteran from said Army, a suicidal mother, homelessness for 8 years, no education, no friends. It really wasn't that great for me. But at least here, I've got friends, I've got a girlfriend, I've got more options for the future, Carole until she passed away. So you tell me which is better. Canada may be home for you, but it isn't for me. Not anymore."

Everyone nodded. They understood where Finn was coming from.

"Well, speaking for my fellow Americans, we're all so glad you're here." Tina said.

"Aww… I love you guys." Finn replied.

"We love you too." They replied, and they spent the next couple of hours chatting and laughing together. When they finally got back to the hotel, it was close to 11 pm. They quickly ascended in an elevator to the 6th floor, where the five rooms were located. Finn was with George, Harry and Liam; Bella was with Quinn, Santana and Tina; Puck was with Mike, Sam and Artie; and Kurt was with Mercedes and Rachel. Mr. Schue, of course, had his own room. George unlocked the key to their room, and they walked in.

None of them had been in the room yet, and they saw that it contained two single beds, a sofa and a mattress on the floor. Finn and George knew exactly what to do. They both dived onto the two beds.

"SHOTGUN!" They both shouted gleefully. Liam and Harry shook their heads.

"Nah, you ain't shotgunning the beds." Harry said as he reluctantly took to the couch, leaving Liam on the mattress.

"Yeah, there's no way I'm sleeping on that!" Liam exclaimed, pointing at the crappy mattress on the floor. Finn and George laughed.

"Too bad, buddy. Deal with it." George said, settling onto his bed. Liam groaned and collapsed onto his weird, misshapen mattress. Right before Finn fell asleep, he sent a quick text to Bella.

**Hey babe, could you pls come to the hotel lobby tmrw morning at 8. Alone. F xx**

After he sent the message, he fell asleep after an exhausting day. He hadn't slept in 48 hours as he was on the flight the next before, and so much had happened in the past two days. The airport scuffle with Kyle seemed like a million years ago.

The next morning, Finn woke up very early, before George, Harry or Liam. He quickly showered and changed and to his surprise, despite all of the movement going on in the room, the three other boys hadn't woken up. They were completely conked out. At 7:45, Finn had everything prepared for the morning, and he walked down to the lobby to meet Bella. Sure enough, 15 minutes later, Bella appeared out of the hotel elevator. She was wearing a simple hoodie and jeans, and she looked so beautiful. She smiled and walked over to him, kissing him.

"Hey babe, why did you want to meet? Nobody's up yet." She said. Finn nodded.

"Exactly. Nobody's up. So I had an idea. Come with me." Finn replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the hotel. They walked down the streets of L.A together, hand in hand, looking just as annoyingly happy as every other couple on the streets.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked, curiously. "And what's in the basket?" She asked, pointing to the object in his left hand.

"We're having a breakfast picnic in Griffith Park by the Hollywood sign. In the basket's the food. Sounds good?"

Bella beamed at him.

"That sounds wonderful." She smiled, brushing his lips with hers.

"Good, cause we're here." He replied, pointing directly up ahead. They sat down in a spare patch of grass and enjoyed a lovely date together. They knew that their time together was going to be limited, with Finn leaving for the army in around 3 months, so they wanted to spend as much time together as possible beforehand. As they were sitting opposite each other on the picnic mat, Bella gazed into Finn's eyes. She could stare into those orbs forever. Although he knew how to make his eyes void of all emotion, he only did this in rare cases when he was extremely mad or sad, so they usually expressed his feelings. Today, Bella could see nothing but love and kindness in her boyfriend's eyes.

"I love you." She said. Finn smiled at her. He loved that girl so much. And as God as his witness, he was going to marry her someday!

"I love you too."


	57. Chapter 57

That afternoon the New Directions flew back to Lima, triumphant. They were National Show Choir Champions and nothing could bring down their mood. Not the fact that their flight was delayed 3 hours, or that the plane was smelly, noisy and turbulent, or that Mercedes' luggage was lost along the way. They all went home that night with huge smiles on their faces, greeting their friends and family as victors.

After Nationals, they only had one more week before they graduated, and it was a bitter-sweet time for all of them. Although they were all excited for the future, they were sad to be moving on from Lima and McKinley - home to so many great memories and fun times. Mr. Schue was just as sad as the rest of the group. The Glee club had become like his family, and it was sad to see them move on, but he was happy to see their ambitions for a bright future.

On Monday morning, the last Monday before they graduated, everyone was in the choir room nice and early. Mr. Schue grinned at them when he walked in.

"What's up, guys? How does it feel to be champions?" He asked them. They all grumbled quietly and Mr. Schue sensed the unhappy tone in their voices.

"What's going on?" He asked. "There's not more drama, is there?!"

Everyone laughed.

"No, don't worry. There's no drama." Rachel said. "It's just that we're all graduating and moving to different places next year, and it makes us so sad to think that we won't be seeing each other anymore."

Mr. Schue nodded and walked over to the board, writing down a single word.

**GOODBYE**

He then turned back to them.

"This week's assignment is easy." He said, melancholy clearly evident in his voice. "Graduation is just a few days away. There's nothing left to prepare for. Our work here is done, so there's only one thing left to do: say goodbye. Everyone here, by the end of the week, is going to have sung a song to say goodbye."

"You know…" Tina said. "A part of me wants to lock these doors and stay in here with everyone forever."

"We can use the wastebasket for the toilet, and we can eat Bella for food as she's been here the shortest so we know her the least." Brittany commented. Mr. Schue just smiled and picked up Finn's guitar that was lying at the side of the room. He then sat on the stool, sitting opposite his students.

"I really hope you're about to rap." Quinn joked.

"No such luck." Mr. Schue laughed. "I'm leading by example here. This one… is for you guys."

_May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam._

_And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home._

_And my you grow to be proud, dignified and true._

_And do unto others as you'd have done to you._

_Be courageous and be brave._

_And in my heart you'll always stay_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong,_

_Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond._

_And may you never love in vain._

_And in my heart you will remain_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_Forever young. Forever young_

_And when you fin'lly fly away, I'll be hoping that I served you well._

_For all the wisdom of a lifetime, no one can ever tell._

_But whatever road you choose, I'm right behind you win or lose,_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_Forever young. (Forever young)_

_Forever young. Forever young_

_For forever young_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Glee - Forever Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-SX6eoxntI)

At the end of the song, a lot of the girls had tears in their eyes, and even the guys had trouble keeping them in. They all looked around the room and locked eyes with their friends - Brittany, Quinn and Santana, who had been friends since kindergarten, held hands with each other; Finn, George, Harry and Liam fist bumped and high fived, grinning wildly. Everyone cheered for Mr. Schue as he put down Finn's guitar.

"So that's my goodbye to you guys. I love you all so much, and I have no doubt you will all do great things with your lives. Who would like to sing next?"

Rachel, Mercedes, Tina, Artie and Kurt looked at each other and nodded. Kurt raised his hand.

"Mr. Schue, can we?" Kurt asked. Mr. Schue nodded. The five of them stood up. As graduation had approached, the five of them had decided to work on a special song to sing to say goodbye to Mr. Schue. He had been a mentor to them for the past three years, and he was like a father to so many of them. Because the five of them were the first people to join the Glee club, they decided to sing the first song they ever sung in the New Directions, but with their vastly matured voices and choreography.

_And I said to myself, "Sit down" (Said to myself "Sit down")_

_Sit down, you're rockin' the boat (Sit down)_

_And I said to myself, "Sit down" (Said to myself "Sit down")_

_Sit down, you're rockin' the boat_

_And the devil will drag you under (Ohhhh)_

_By the sharp lapel of your checkered coat_

_Sit down_

_Sit down, sit down, sit down_

_Sit down you're rockin' the boat_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Glee - Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCkJ9oQIUQ) **

When they finished singing, Mr. Schue had tears in his eyes. It was incredible how far the 5 had come.

"That was the most ghetto number I have ever heard." Santana commented as the five singers sat down.

"Then just call me George Jefferson, because we went from the ghetto to the penthouse. National Champs baby!"

Everyone cheered and laughed. A great first day for everyone in McKinley. Only 4 days left.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Later that day, Kurt and Blaine were sitting in Lima Bean, enjoying a nice cup of coffee and biscuits. They both had something on their minds, a burning question that neither boy wanted to ask.

"Look, Kurt, we've been putting this off for far too long, but don't you think we should have the talk?"

Kurt sighed. He knew this was coming.

"Can't we just have four final days of denial?" Kurt pleaded.

"No, no, we cannot." Blaine said, holding Kurt's hand. "This is happening right now, Kurt. It's not some far-off thing in the future. You're graduating, I'm not. I've still got one more year of high school. You know how hard long distance relationships can be. It's been pretty hard even this year when we were only one city away from each other. But now, with you in a different state?"

"Do you want to know how I picture the end of my life?" Kurt said, suddenly. Blaine nodded. "Just like in the Notebook, I'm sitting in a nursing home, talking endlessly about my high school sweetheart… my first love… going on and on about every little detail, going on and on about every little detail as if they matter. Only, in my version, he's there with me, telling me to shut up

so he can finish watching the American Cinematheque salute to J-Lo."

Blaine smiled widely.

"So... we're going to be alright?" He asked, tentatively.

"Yes, we're gonna be alright." Kurt replied. "I told you I'm never saying goodbye to you. We'll figure out this whole long-distance relationship thing. I promise."

"Okay." Blaine sighed in relief. "I love you, Kurt."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"OK, who's performing today?" Mr. Schue asked. Bella, Santana, Quinn and Brittany raised their hands.

"Mr. Schue, we'll go next." The four girls said, standing up and flattening down their Cheerios skirts. Santana, Brittany and Quinn had been living in the same neighbourhood for as long as they could remember, and when Bella arrived last year, they took her in like a sister. The four girls were just as close as Finn, George, Harry and Liam were, and Finn knew only too well how hard it was going to be to say goodbye. The four girls decided on Hello, Goodbye by the Beatles.

_You say yes, I say no, you say stop, and I say go, go, go_

_Oh no - You say goodbye, and I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_I say high, you say low, you say why, and I say I don't know - Oh_

_Oh no - You say goodbye, and I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Why, why, why, why, why do you say goodbye, goodbye - wow_

_Oh no - You say goodbye, and I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_You say yes, I say no, you say stop, and I say go, go, go_

_Oh no - You say goodbye, and I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello_

_Hello, hello - I don't know why you say goodbye I say Hello - Hello_

_Hey-la, He-be Hello_

_Hey-la, He-be Hello_

_Hey-la, He-be Hello_

_Hey-la, He-be Hello_

At the end of the song, everyone clapped politely. Although it was fun to watch their friends perform, it only made their imminent graduation more real, and made them even sadder. Mr. Schue was holding back tears as he clapped and hugged the four girls. He was still having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that soon, his 16 favourite people in the world would be graduating. Sure it was sad, but he didn't have a wife or girlfriend anymore, and these students were like his kids. It was truly depressing.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next morning, Finn walked into McKinley alone. George had left the house a little earlier, and Finn was going to spend his morning finishing up the final loose ends of the captain's duty in the football team - tidying the locker room, deflating the balls, stacking the cones, etc.

When he finally finished, he left the locker room and handed the spare key to the gym and locker room to Coach Beiste. She smiled at him.

"There. All finished. I'm officially no longer a member of the McKinley High Titans football team." Finn said. Coach Beiste smiled. Finn had been her favourite football captain to work with in all her time as a high school coach. Not only was he an excellent Quarterback, but he also had a bigger heart than anyone she had worked with.

"Sure you're no longer a member of the Titans' team, but you are now a member of the McKinley Titans Hall of Fame. After all, you did bring us our first and only State Championship, despite all of the other boys quitting like babies."

Finn chuckled. The fiasco was still fresh in his mind.

"Yeah, that was interesting. I never thought I'd be playing in a team, half of whom are 100 pound cheerleaders. It was… truly terrifying." Finn said. Coach Beiste laughed.

"I know. For you and me both. What would have happened if one of those girls got tackled? We would probably still be picking small pieces of her out of the field. Oh, by the way, about that. I never got a chance to thank you for what you did during the game."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What did I do?" Finn asked, confused.

"You studied the game better than a coach could, and you made the best decision for your team - switching QB to Sam, and making yourself a Running back."

Finn shrugged.

"I was just doing my job as QB and captain. It is a QB's job to study the game with a better vision than any other player, isn't it?"

"Finn, trust me, not many players could have made that call. With that kind of thinking, I know that you'll do great in the Army. You've got quick thinking, you care about each and every member in your team, you're in great physical shape, and your vision of a situation is full of depth."

"Thanks Coach. I appreciate that." Finn said. The two of them shook hands and went their separate ways. Finn walked to the choir room, and when he walked in, the whole Glee Club was already there.

"Hey guys." Finn said as he walked in. They all nodded at him.

"So…" Mr. Schue said. "Who would like to go next. We only have three days left."

Puck, Sam and Mike raised their hands.

"Mr. Schue, can we please go next?" They asked. He nodded.

"Take it away, boys."

The four guys walked to the front of the room, and turned to their friends.

"Um… I know I'm really the most sensitive guy in the world." Puck said. "But this song, and this goodbye means a lot to me. When we were in the halls of McKinley before Glee, we were in different groups. Hell, I was throwing half of you guys in dumpsters. But then I joined Glee and learnt to not see people for the things that make us different, we saw each other for the ways that we're the same. Because in this room, it doesn't matter if you're a nerd or a jock, gay or straight, what matters is that we're friends."

"Wow Puck, that was actually somewhat profound." Mr. Schue said, shocked. Puck smiled.

"What can I say? I've grown up in the past three years. I'm not the guy who hooks up with random girls anymore."

"Yeah, you are." Quinn remarked. Puck sighed and laughed.

"Ok, fine, I am. Hook ups rule. But I have actually grown up. Anyways, our song. We're singing Time of Your Life by Green Day."

Puck started strumming his guitar as the three boys took to the stage for the final time.

_Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road_

_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go_

_So make the best of this test and don't ask why_

_It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time_

_It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right_

_I hope you had the time of your life_

_So take the photographs and still frames in your mind_

_Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time_

_Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial_

_For what it's worth it was worth all the while_

_It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right_

_I hope you had the time of your life_

_It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right_

_I hope you had the time of your life_

_It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right_

_I hope you had the time of your life_

Everyone cheered and clapped as the three football players sat down. Despite the many differences the guys had, they were still close and would probably keep in touch for their whole lives. Mr. Schue walked up to the front of the room, still clapping his hands.

"Well done boys. That was superb. And Puck, what you said before, that was exactly what Glee's all about: finding friends who are polar opposites but have a common interest in music. Oh, by the way, I have an announcement. Although Glee is continuing next year, I've decided to retire the name 'New Directions'. We'll come up with a new name with the next crop of students. You guys will be the first and last New Directions."

The New Directions were touched by Mr. Schue's gesture. It brought tears to many of their eyes.

"OK, bring it in guys." He said. For the last time, the New Directions all gathered in a huge group hugs. Race, sexuality, gender and social hierarchy didn't matter. Nothing did when they were all together. As they hugged, the tears started to fall. They didn't want to leave each other. Sure they would probably stay friends for the rest of their lives, but it wouldn't be the same. They wouldn't see each other every day, sing with each other every day, compete alongside each other every day. When they finally disentangled from the hug, they all sat back down, sniffing back more tears. Mr. Schue smiled.

"I don't suppose our other boy band would like to sing our final song."

Finn, George, Liam and Harry nodded and stood up. When they reached the front, they turned to their crying friends. Finn decided to say something.

"Um… like Puck, I'm not really the touchiest-feelist person in the world, but I kinda want to say something. I'll be honest, when I arrived, I kinda hated all of you."

Everyone raised an eyebrow, but they honestly didn't blame him.

"You know…" Tina said. "I'm suddenly less sad about leaving." She joked, and everyone laughed.

"Oh, come on! You know what I mean! What you did during first term of sophomore year was pretty cold. And quite frankly, I didn't think I'd be friends with any of you when I graduated, other than the guys I already knew from Canada of course. Little did I know that I would meet my girlfriend and one of my best friends through Glee club. I started to get to know all of you, and you all were there for me when my mom died, which is something I can never repay you for. I love you guys."

**To hear the following song, click:**

[One Direction - History](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Pmcy74Kfs)

**It's History by One D in case you don't know**

_You gotta help me, I'm losing my mind_

_Keep getting the feeling you wanna leave this all behind_

_Thought we were going strong_

_I thought we were holding on_

_Aren't we?_

_No, they don't teach you this in school_

_Now my heart's breaking and I don't know what to do_

_Thought we were going strong_

_Thought we were holding on_

_Aren't we?_

Suddenly, the Glee Club were transported to the gym, where the whole class were receiving their diplomas. Principal Figgins and Ms. Pillsbury were standing on stage: Figgins was announcing everyone's names, and each graduate would shake hands with both teachers before receiving their diploma from Ms. Pillbury.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_We could be the greatest team that the world has ever seen_

"Artie Abrams!" Figgins announced. Smiling, Artie wheeled himself onto the stage to accept his diploma. The Glee club all cheered for him and Mr. Schue, who was in the front row, was the loudest.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_So don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever_

"Mercedes Jones!"

Mercedes sauntered onto the stage confidently, waving at her parents and accepting the diploma.

_All of the rumors, all of the fights_

_But we always find a way to make it out alive_

"Tina Cohen-Chang!"

Tina walked onto the stage and smiled. The girl she walked into McKinley as was so different to the girl she was leaving as. In sophomore year, she had a fake stutter, goth get-up and no friends. Now, she had loads of friends, no more stutter, a National Show Choir Championship and was going to Brown. She had never been so happy.

_Thought we were going strong_

_Thought we were holding on_

_Aren't we?_

"Rachel Berry!"

Rachel beamed and practically ran to receive her deployment. Her dads were sitting in the audience, waving at her, and she winked at them. Although Rachel was sometimes pretty hard to deal with, deep down she had a good heart, even if it was sometimes shrouded by her competitiveness. Rachel was going to NYADA next year, one of the most prestigious music schools in the States. Her Broadway preparation was officially underway.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_We could be the greatest team that the world has ever seen_

"Kurt Hummel!"

Kurt had also changed a lot in the past three years. When he first got to McKinley, he was afraid to make eye contact. He didn't talk about his politics, he didn't share what was in his heart, he was in the closet. And most days, he was also in the Dumpster. But McKinley only made him a stronger, more socially conscious, fashion-forward person. And perhaps, he played some small part in making it possible for tadpole gays all over Lima to be themselves in public. Not a bad legacy for someone who once pretended to be in lust with Rachel Berry so I wouldn't have to date Mercedes Jones.

Kurt accepted his diploma with a beaming smile on his face. Like Rachel, he wanted to be on Broadway in the future, and was going to NYADA next year.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_So don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever_

"Noah Puckerman!"

Without a doubt, the 'Puckzilla' who entered McKinley was different to the Noah Puckerman he had left. Although crude sometimes, Puck had developed into a kind, conscientious person who could definitely be depended upon if anyone in the Glee club needed him. Definitely not the Puck who would throw the geeks in the dumpster and slushie them. Hell, he was an ally to them now. What's more, despite Quinn having no feelings for him and making that known to him daily, he stuck by her throughout her whole pregnancy and supported her decision to give up Beth for adoption.

_Minibars, expensive cars, hotel rooms and new tattoos_

"Samuel Evans!"

Like Puck, Sam had also become much less of a douche after he had joined Glee. Although it took him a bit longer than Puck - Puck had gotten kinder almost immediately whereas it had taken Sam until mid junior year to catch on - Sam had gotten there eventually, and he and Mercedes were even planning on continuing their relationship long distance next year.

_The good champagne, and private planes_

_But they don't mean anything_

"Mike Chang!"

As Mike stepped on stage to receive the award, he looked out into the audience. They all looked so small, insignificant, from his vantage point. He realised that that was exactly how he felt at the beginning of high school. He felt like a small fish in a big ocean, always feeling like an outsider and never wanted to find friends and fit in. But Glee changed everything. It built his confidence, made him talk more, join the football team, but most importantly, it convinced him to stray from his family's traditions and aspire to become a dancer rather than a lawyer.

_'Cause the truth is out, I realize_

_That without you here life is just a lie_

"Quinn Fabray!"

Quinn had a whirlwind of a high school experience. She had gone from hero to zero to hero more times than she could count. Starting high school as the head cheerleader, getting pregnant and giving birth to Beth, manipulating and playing Finn, being let back on the Cheerleading team. It was as much drama as 10 people would have in a normal high school experience. But McKinley was not any normal high school.

She accepted her diploma with pride, and was excited to embark upon the next stage of her life in Yale, with her best friend - Bella - there too.

_This is not the end_

_This is not the end_

_We can make it, you know it, you know_

"Santana Lopez!"

Despite all the bad that happened during her high school experience - getting kicked out of her house, getting cornered in the alley by the jocks, etc. - Santana could not stop praying and counting her blessings that McKinley was the high school she went to. After all, McKinley was also the place where she met her best friend, who convinced her to come out, giving her the opportunity to be with the girl she loved. Now, Brittany and her were moving to Pennsylvania together. Santana wasn't mad that Brittany wasn't going to college. Sure part of it was that Brittany wasn't smart enough to get into any college in the county, but also Santana knew that a children's dance coach was the perfect job for Brittany.

Waving at her mom, dad and abuela who were in the audience, Santana proudly received her diploma and stepped off the stage for the last time.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_We could be the greatest team that the world has ever seen_

"Brittany S. Pierce!"

Brittany, who still didn't have much of a clue of what was going on, walked on stage and hugged a surprised Principal Figgins, before walking away, forgetting to take her diploma from Ms. Pillsbury.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_So don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever_

"Liam Johnson!"

When Liam approached the stage, he had a considerably quieter cheer, as he wasn't as well-known by the rest of the school given that he only joined in senior year. He got a loud ovation from the Glee club though.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_We could be the greatest team that the world has ever seen_

"Harry McGintley!"

Like Liam, Harry had not really wanted to move to Lima. At a first glance, Toronto was FAR superior to Lima, and the only reason that George didn't feel that way when they moved was because George had his brother there (Finn). However, as Liam got to learn about his surroundings, and got to experience just a small fraction of the drama, he realised that Lima wasn't so bad. No, that's not true. Lima was bad. But every rule has an exception, and mcKinley was that exception. He loved his year in the States, but was excited to move back home for college.

_You and me got a whole lot of history (oh oh)_

_So don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever_

"George Shelley!"

George smiled as he stepped up to receive his diploma. To be honest, like Liam and Harry, he believed Lima to be a bit of a dump when he first moved her, but was nevertheless excited as he would be living with Finn. Him and Finn were all but blood relatives at this point, they had saved each other several times from both emotional and physical problems. Finn saved George's life when they got mugged; George helped Finn confront his mental health issues. They were a family, no matter what anyone said.

_So don't let me go_

_So don't let me go_

_We can live forever_

"And finally, our Athletic and Arts Award Winner, Finnegan Hudson!"

Finn got the loudest cheer out of everyone who had received an award that day, and deservedly so. Not only was he the football and Glee club hero, he was also by far the kindest guy in school. He always stopped to chat and socialise with others in the hallway, no matter if they were jocks or nerds, and if someone ever needed him, he would be there in a heartbeat. No matter what life threw his way, Finn just kept on pushing through, and when he clutched his diploma, he felt so proud and happy, but he just wished that Carole could see him now.

"I love you, mom." He said to himself, looking up at the sky as he left the gym.

_Baby, don't you know_

_Baby, don't you know_

_We can live forever_


	58. FOUR YEARS LATER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This next part of the story is 4 years later. As you recall, Finn has just joined the Army and the New Directions are at their respective colleges.

_**CHAPTER 58 - FOUR YEARS LATER** _

After high school, everything had been so great for Finn. The summer after graduation was the best summer of his entire life: he spent practically every moment with Bella as she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before he left. He also spent a lot of time with George, Liam, Harry and Santana, as they were also very worried about his departure. In August, he finally departed from Lima to Georgia for BCT.

At Basic Training, Finn had finally found his true calling. The environment he thrived in. He finished at the top of his class in Marksmanship, Physicality and Battle IQ. In fact, Finn even broke some records in marksmanship and physical strength. After BCT, he was recommended for Special Forces Training by his BCT Drill Sergeant, so Finn underwent an incredibly tough 6 months of training, but ultimately, it was all worth it. 6 months of training later, Finn was officially inducted into the ranks of the infamous Special Operations Soldiers - or Green Berets as many call them. After training was complete, Finn was almost immediately deployed to Afghanistan for a year and three months, to complete various special operations in Central Asia. He was the standout soldier in his group - a modern day Captain America - and his excellent performance did not go unnoticed by his superiors. He went from Private First Class to Sergeant relatively quickly, and was in line for another promotion when he got an even better offer. Finn was temporarily pulled from Afghanistan and was brought back to the States. His superior officers had entered him into the selection process for Delta Force - the highest, most elite unit in the whole military. They dealt with issues of National importance - that usually meant assassinations, hostage rescues, raids and capture or kill missions. However, being in Delta Force also meant becoming a ghost. He would only be able to see his friends for a month a year, and he wouldn't even be able to tell many of them what he did for a living. It wasn't ideal, but it was Finn's dream to be in a top tier military group such as Delta Force, and he was keen to fulfill this dream, much to Bella's dismay. If she wasn't worried about him before, she definitely was now. She knew that Finn would probably be okay in the physical aspect of it, but she also knew how stressful and negative it could be on mental health, especially for someone who already suffers from depression and anxiety. Nevertheless, he accepted the challenge and competed against hundreds of other competent soldiers in the Delta Force Selection Process, and was one of only 2 in his class of 20 that made it through.

The next 2 months consisted of training that was more intense than anything he had experienced before. He jumped out of planes, shimmied up and down rope, fired a variety of guns with 100% accuracy, learnt how to precision drive vehicles and use them as a weapon, and many other vital things that a Delta Force soldier would need to learn. After 2 months, Finn was finally an official Delta Force operative. He spent the next 2 years travelling around the whole world, completing missions completely undetected. There was an imminent fear of death in every mission he participated in, as he was going up against some of the most immoral villains the world had to offer. He went on two hostage rescue missions and two raids, but Finn's niche was in assassinations. He would work alone or with one other soldier, and they would sneak in, fire two bullets into the enemy's brain, and sneak out faster than anyone could blink. He was the best assassination the U.S had created for years, so good that he was hired for one mission by French government, and one by the British. He was even nicknamed the Phantom by the government because of his stealth and his deadliness.

Mentally, killing people was extremely tough on Finn. Due to the tight leash Delta Force had around confidentiality, Finn couldn't talk to anyone about his missions, so it took a huge emotional toll on him. Every time he pulled the trigger and his enemy crumpled to the ground, no matter how evil the deceased had been, Finn felt like a piece of his soul had been ripped away. Finally, one day, his soul was completely torn to shreds, leaving him as an emotionless, heartless assassin. Little did he know that that was the Government's plan all along. Now that he had no moral problems with killing people, the number of kills kept increasing without him even batting an eye. 50. 80. 100. 150. 210. It just kept going up, until one day, everything went wrong…

"CAG #3663, come on in."

CAG 3663 was Finn's official soldier I.D number in Delta Force. Nobody called each other by name here, they just used their I.D number. Finn entered his lieutenant's office in the U.S Army Base in Afghanistan. He had been stationed in Afghanistan for the past year as a lot of his missions were in that region, but was often flown out to other countries for missions.

"Hey, lieutenant. What's up?" Finn asked, sitting in the chair opposite his superior officer.

"Mission for you. You up for it?" The man asked. Finn had just come back earlier that week from a week-long operation in Pakistan, that involved killing a major player in a Pakistani drug cartel, so Finn was pretty worn, both physically and emotionally.

"Sure, what've you got?" Finn sighed. The Lieutenant slid a file across the table, and Finn opened it. His eyes widened when he saw the picture attached to the top. It was Flaco Ruiz - the drug lord of a huge cartel on the border of Paraguay. He was one of the most ruthless and notorious men in South America - between his gruesome torture, blackmail, drug-traffiking and murder, he was not someone you'd want to cross. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Lieutenant, you've gotta be kidding. You want us to kill this guy?" He asked in astonishment.

"Not us, Sergeant… YOU." He replied. Finn put his head in his hands.

"How am I supposed to get to him? He has practically a whole army guarding him and he never comes out in public. An operation like this has gotta take months of planning. I'm getting discharged in two weeks..."

"Which is why I know you'll make this mission quick." Lieutenant cut in. "Look, Sergeant, this is not up for discussion. His drug trafficking ring is wreaking havoc across South and Latin America. We even have Intel that he's using tunnels at the Mexico border to smuggle into the States. He needs to be taken down, and you're the only one that I trust to do it. Then you can be discharged, and we'll even give you a medal for distinguished service. Please read the file. It's got all the info you'll need. You fly out tonight."

Finn swore under his breath, quietly enough that his superior didn't hear him, and read the file. He was flying in a stealth jet to Paraguay, around 3 hours away from where Flaco was supposedly staying. He would be completely concealed by forest, so he would be able to complete the trek without being seen. He would then sneak into the compound, take out the target and anyone who dared get in his way, and sneak out into the plane that would be waiting. Finn closed the file after he finished reading it and he closed his eyes. He was so close to discharge and he about to embark on a fucking suicide mission. He was hoping for no more missions, no more people to kill, so that he could try and keep any remnants of his soul he had left. But there was nothing he could do about it. He had to complete the mission, and then he could go home and see Bella and his friends.

"OK, let's do it."

An hour later, Finn was kitted up and ready to ship out. He sent a quick message to Bella before getting onto the plane. For safety and security reasons, he couldn't tell her where he was going, but they had a phrase that they used whenever Finn was going on a mission.

**Going into the woods now. Love u. F xx**

A couple of seconds later, he got a response.

**OK. Love u so much. Stay safe. Can't wait to see you next week!**

Finn smiled at his phone before stepping onto the plane. That text had just given him extra incentive to stay alive and make it through the mission safe and sound.

Finn and the pilot were the only ones in the plane. To not attract attention, they took one of the small stealth planes, rather than a bigger one. However, the downside of this was that they couldn't send as many troops. Finn had to complete the mission alone, or die trying. The jet took off in a boom, and Finn sat back and planned the mission. What should he do? What was the easiest way in or out of the compound.

Back in the Lieutenant's office, Lieutenant Julian Brandt put his head in his hands. The government's hands were tied in terms of the mission. They couldn't send a whole army, as the U.S would be an international laughing stock if the mission failed, but the chance of Finn completing the mission solo was infinitesimal. They were screwed, and Finn was probably going to get himself killed.

As the stealth plane swept over Paraguay, Finn already had an eerie feeling that something was about to go wrong. He could study every map or diagram of the compound in the world - which he had - but there was still a huge threat of danger. He forced the anxieties deep down inside him as he strapped on his parachute. To enter the area unseen, Finn was going to HALO jump (High Altitude Low Opening) a couple of miles out. Finn secretly loved HALO jumping. It was his favourite part of the Army. The way the wind kissed his cheeks and his heart felt so free as he soared through the air was like nothing he had ever felt before. Finally, strapping his rifle to his chest and his pistol to his thigh, the door to the aeroplane opened and Finn jumped out of the plane.

His jump went perfectly. Breathing through his oxygen mask, he did a couple of somersaults in the air for good measure. Around 85 seconds after he had left the plane, he checked his altimeter and realised that it was time to pull the cord to release his parachute. This went off without a hitch, and Finn planted two feet steadily on the ground a few moments later. The plane was coming to pick him up from the same spot in 6 hours as it was a two hour walk to where he needed to go. He started walking, cutting through the thick foliage with his knife, grateful for the shade and invisibility it provided him with. An hour and a half later, Finn was getting close to the compound. It was dark outside but Finn didn't dare turn on his flashlight out of risk of being seen - instead, he turned on his night vision goggles and continued tiptoeing through the forest. Suddenly, Finn heard the unmistakable cock of a gun and the feeling of metal jabbing into the small of his back.

"Hands up, bitch!" The man spat in Spanish, which was now fluent in. Finn heard three other guys quickly approach them and Finn knew that he was surrounded. He could have taken one, maybe two guys, but four was too much. He slowly raised his hands and put them on his head. His two guns were quickly snatched from him, and the last thing Finn felt was being rudely conked on his head before completely passing out.


	59. Chapter 59

_**CHAPTER 59** _

Bella couldn't breath. She started hyperventilating like a fish out of water, and she started sobbing. Her Finn was gone. Missing in Action, the man had said. She was sitting in the apartment with Quinn and Santana - who had come to visit for the week. Both girls were also crying, with Santana being almost as depressed as she was.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Sutton, Ms. Lopez, Ms. Fabray. We'll do all we can to find him, but the chances of him still being alive are very slim."

"Please tell us if you find him." Santana said as she led the officer to the door. He nodded and left, leaving the three girls to their tears and grief.

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"Who are you? Who do you work for?" Flaco Ruiz asked, calmly. Finn was tied up in a basement somewhere, but not in the compound he was captured near. After Finn was knocked out, he vaguely recalled being hauled into a jeep. Due to the amount of maximum distance a jeep can travel on a tank of fuel, Finn knew that he couldn't be more than 5 hours away from the compound. Nobody could find him here. Ropes tied his arms to two poles, like he was crucified, but his head hung limp. His whole body was throbbing, burning pains from the torture stabbed him like a thousand blunt spoons. Of course, Finn couldn't reveal anything. He was trained for this kind of situation. Rather than speaking, Finn spat in Flaco's face and chuckled. Not the smartest move. Wiping Finn's saliva off his face, Flaco gestured to his two henchmen. They nodded and started bludgeoning Finn's body with clubs and bats. Finn could feel his left arm in particular hurting like hell, and he assumed that it was broken as it was bent at a messed up angle. After around 5 minutes of being assaulted by the two men, they stepped back and Flaco walked up to him.

"I ask again? Who do you work for? Americans? British? French? Canadian? Australian?"

Each suggestion was punctuated with a blow from Flaco's brass knuckles. Still, Finn didn't say anything. He closed his eyes and did what he did best to distract himself: sing. Softly, he sang to himself.

"All of me, loves all of you. Loves your curves and all your edges. All your perfect imperfections."

This took the thugs by surprise. They expected him to be crying in pain, not singing. They temporarily stopped hitting him as they tried to understand what the hell he was doing. Finn used this to his advantage. He stood a little straighter - as straight as the binds would allow - and he did a self-assessment of the damage to his body. He was most definitely concussed: his eyes were still slightly ringing, he had a headache, and his temples were pounding from the knockout blow. Also, he was now sure that his left forearm was broken as it was swollen twice its normal size and was bent in a triangular shape. He forced himself to ignore the pain and keep singing.

For the next month, Finn was fed minimal amounts for a human to survive, and stood 24/7 in the rope binds, getting the crap beaten out of him. He was beaten, burned, waterboarded, fingernails and toenails yanked off, but he wouldn't speak, and the hostiles knew it. They knew that they couldn't kill him, as he was going to eventually turn on his government, and they needed him to be alive for that. Everyone has a breaking point and Flaco had a feeling that Finn was reaching his. He just needed a little extra… incentive.

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Three weeks to the day since his funeral, and it was the first time that George had the courage to even look at pictures of Finn and himself. Now, they were all going back to Lima for a special memorial Mr. Schue was planning. They were all going back - everyone who could. Being together was hard - it made it more real - but he also knew that he needed his friends right now. People kept asking him 'how are you feeling?' or 'what are you feeling?' He had no answers. Honestly, what can you say about a 22 year old soldier who dies? Everyone wants to talk about how he died, too. Or if he was still potentially alive. He wasn't alive, and George knew it. The people's insensitive comments only made it harder. Who cares about how he died? It was one moment in his entire life. George cared more about how he lived. And anyone who has a problem with that should remember that Finn was his brother.

This wasn't real. It couldn't be. George couldn't go home for this. Finn was going to be everywhere. George was going to spend his entire life missing him.

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Back in Lima, the four major staff members of the school - Coach Sue, Coach Beiste, Mr. Schue and Mrs. Pillsbury - were sitting in the staff room, still trying to come to terms with what happened.

"You know…" Mrs. Pillsbury said. "I've cleared my entire schedule to provide my services to students and faculty, and not a single person's come in for grief counseling.

"Well, maybe that's because you're not a certified grief counselor." Sue remarked. "Maybe it's just because you're the jittery, mentally-ill bird lady they all turn to find out what college they won't be attending because they missed the application deadline. If students wish to mourn Finn's passing, they're free to visit the memorial garden that I erected. I planted a tree in the exact location where I caught Finn and his girlfriend groping each other during senior year."

"Come on, Sue!" Mr. Schue said, grief and exhaustion filling his voice.

"How can you even joke at a time like this?" Beiste spat.

"Oh, take it easy, Shrek. I'm grieving, and I grieve by insulting those who mean the most to me. It's just a coincidence that it's also what I do when I'm not grieving."

"It just feels so surreal." Ms. Pillsbury said.

"They don't make 'em like Finn." Coach Beiste said. "He had a special something to him, a light that helped guide everyone around him."

"He was our quarterback." Mr. Schue said.

"We honor Finn Hudson by taking care of the people he loved, and the way we do that is by helping them move on."

"How?" Ms. Pillsbury asked, completely at a loss.

"By not making a self-serving spectacle of our own sadness. And I think we can all agree, that's what Finn would have wanted."

Ignoring Sue's remark, Coach Beiste turned to Mr. Schue.

"Will, you don't happen to know what happened, did you?" Coach Beiste asked. Will nodded.

"I… um… I can't s… Oh wait! I can, now that Finn's officially gone. Finn… he was a Green Beret Special Forces operative for the first two years of his tour. Then, after two years of missions, he was transferred to Delta Force."

"Wait…" Coach Sue said, stunned. "Delta Force? Like the highest tier military unit? The one that's completely classified?"

Will nodded.

"Yup. As far as most people were concerned, Finn was just another Green Beret for the next two years, but he told his girlfriend, Santana Lopez, George Shelley and I what his actual job was. Now that he's deceased, his job is no longer classified information."

The other teachers were stunned. The kind, sweet Finn Hudson they knew had been recruited into the most secretive, dark, shady military unit in the world, where he would be killing people as easily and involuntarily as breathing.

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Later that day, all of the New Directions, both old and new, gathered in the choir room for a final memorial. A final goodbye. A lot of the graduates were flying in sometime in the next few days, but a lot had already arrived. In the room, along with the new students, was Artie, George, Liam, Harry, Puck, Mike, Sam, Mercedes, Santana, Brittany, Tina and Rachel. Bella and Quinn were yet to show up, as Bella was having a hard time, understandably, and Quinn wanted to be wherever her friend was so she could comfort her.

"I'm really glad so many of you could make it back for this." Mr. Schue said as he faced the large group.

"We wouldn't miss it for anything Mr. Schue." Mike replied, speaking on behalf of everyone.

"The funeral was for everyone, but I wanted to do something just for us. To memorialise him the only way we know how… by singing. All week long. Anyone who wants to can come up and sing. Maybe a song he sang, maybe something that reminds you of him…"

"Singing isn't going to bring him back." George spat, angrily. George, like Bella and Santana, was having a really hard time coming to terms with what had happened.

"No, it's not." Mr. Schue said. "Nothing is. Not ever. But… for two minutes or so, we can all maybe remember the best parts of him. So, think of what you want to sing, if you want to sng, and we'll start tomorrow.

"Oh, I… I can't until tomorrow, Mr. Schue." Tina said, standing up. "I've been bawling for three weeks. If I don't get this out now, I don't think I'll ever stop crying."

"Sure, Tina, start us off." Mr. Schue said, encouragingly.

"Um… I remember when I first met Finn. It was during the duets project at the very beginning of Junior year. Finn was the new kid, he didn't know anyone, and we were working on the duet and we were talking. Although we didn't know each other that well, I remember that I slipped out that my stutter was fake, and I thought he was going to get annoyed or something. Instead, he said to me 'Your self-worth is determined by you. You don't have to depend on someone telling you who you are.' He convinced me to go after my boyfriend, Mike, can I have Finn to thank for a lot of the happiness and self-worth I've felt these past few years. I'm going to sing the song we sang together, oh so long ago. This is 'Just a Dream.' He was our leader. We love you, Finn."

_I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me_

_Thinkin about us, what we gonna be?_

_Open my eyes, yeah; it was only just a dream_

_So I travel back, down that road_

_Will you come back? No one knows_

_I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream_

_I was at the top and I was like I'm at the basement_

_Number one spot and now you found your a replacement_

_I swear now I can't take it_

_Knowing somebody's got my baby_

_And now you ain't around, baby I can't think_

_Shoulda put it down, shoulda got that ring_

_Cuz I can still feel it in the air_

_See your pretty face run my fingers through your hair_

_My lover, my life, my baby, my wife_

_You left me, I'm tied_

_Cuz I knew that it just ain't right_

_I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me_

_Thinkin about us, what we gonna be?_

_Open my eyes, yeah; it was only just a dream_

_So I travel back, down that road_

_Will you come back? No one knows_

_I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream_

_When I be ridin man I swear_

_I see your face at every turn_

_Tryin to get my usher over, I can let it burn_

_And I just hope you notice_

_YOu the only one I yearn for_

_Oh I miss you, when will I learn?_

_Didn't give you all my love_

_I guess now I got my payback_

_Now I'm in the club thinkin all about my baby_

_Hey, you were so easy to love_

_But wait, I guess that love wasn't enough_

_I'm goin through it every time that I'm alone_

_And now I'm missin, wishin you'd pick up the phone_

_But you made a decision that you wanted to move on_

_Cuz I was wrong_

_And I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me_

_Thinkin about us, what we gonna be?_

_Open my eyes, yeah; it was only just a dream_

_So I travel back, down that road_

_Will you come back? No one knows_

_I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream_

_If you ever loved somebody put your hands up_

_If you ever loved somebody put your hands up_

_And now they're gone_

_And you wish you could give them everything_

_I said, if you ever loved somebody put your hands up_

_If you ever loved somebody put your hands up_

_And now they're gone_

_And you wish you could give them everything_

_I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me_

_Thinkin about us, what we gonna be?_

_Open my eyes, yeah; it was only just a dream_

_So I travel back, down that road_

_Will you come back? No one knows_

_I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream_

_And I was thinkin about you, thinkin about me_

_Thinkin about us, what we gonna be?_

_Open my eyes, yeah; it was only just a dream_

_So I travel back, down that road_

_Will you come back? No one knows_

_I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream_

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"Sit down!" Sue demanded, pointing to the chair opposite her. Santana reluctantly stepped into her office and took a seat. Sue had called her out of Finn's memorial, so whatever she had to say had gotta be important.

"So… I know you were instrumental in raising the funds for the tree in the memorial garden in Finn's honor." Sue said.

"All I did was drive to Home Depot and buy a tree for $20, but, yes."

"Well, it looks like we're gonna have to dip into your Boob Job fund once again. The tree's gone. Someone vandalised the memorial."

Santana's heart dropped. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"I don't understand! Why would someone do something like that?" Santana exclaimed.

"Who knows?" Coach Sue replied, gravely. "Grief can bring out the irrational in all of us. Sometimes it makes people do very strange things. Sometimes, when people die, we want to hold on to what's left of them to get us through the hard times. I'll take that $20 for a new tree, please. I prefer exact change."

Santana paid the money to Sue without blinking an eye.

Later that night contained one of the hardest things Santana and George ever had to do. Bella wasn't yet here, and probably wasn't coming, so it was up to the two of them to sort through Finn's old stuff together. There wasn't much, and they laid three boxes on Finn's bedroom floor: **KEEP, GIVE AWAY** and **THROW OUT.**

"I marked these boxes so things would be easier to separate." Mrs. Shelley said. Although she was miserable about Finn's death, she needed to stay strong for George and Santana, who were feeling much, much worse than she was.

"Thanks, mom." George croaked. Santana put an arm around him.

"Look, we don't have to do this now." She said. "It can wait."

"There's no timetable." Mrs. Shelley added.

"No." George replied. "We should do it now, or… I'm afraid I'll never do it."

George got up and walked over to Finn's dresser, and Santana walked up his cupboard. George looked at all the framed photos Finn had of the group, and the multiple pictures he had with Bella. They looked so blissfully happy in every single photo. Once again, George felt a pang of sympathy for what the girl was going through, in New York.

"Look!" Santana said, taking something out. "It's the football from the State Championship three years ago. It was signed by all of us. You should keep this, George." She said, tossing it to him. He smiled and nodded. George's tears splashed onto the ball.

"I should've hugged him more." Mrs. Shelley said, tears leaking out of her eyes. "You know, be more like a mom to him. You know, the last time I saw him, he was so bummed out about being redeployed the next day, and I… you know… told him to get back at it. He was worth it. It was the perfect time for a hug." Her voice started to break. "But for whatever reason, I gave him a pat on the back and that's that. Now he's gone."

Mrs. Shelley took Finn's favourite old letterman jacket out of the cupboard. It was Finn's favourite jacket and he wore it almost every day. She started to place the jacket in the donate box to go with the rest of the clothes, but Santana stopped her.

"No, don't. I want that." She said, taking it from George's mom's hands. "When my parents had kicked me out, I had some really, really rough days. I would sit in my room at Finn's house and feel ashamed of who I was, and I was contemplating doing something stupid. But then he would come into my room, wearing that jacket, and he would comfort me and cheer me up. It was like superman had arrived."

Santana put on the jacket, embracing how it was around 5 sizes too big for her. Who knew that a tiny, Latina cheerleader wasn't the same size as a behemoth football player.

"God, his arms were long!" Santana sniffled as she wrapped the jacket around her. It felt so comforting.

"Every morning I wake up." George said, crying. "And for just a second, I forget. But then… I remember. And it's like getting that call again… and again, every time. I don't get to stop waking up. I have to keep on going, even though I don't have a brother anymore."

George collapsed into silent cries and the rest of the night was spent drowning in tears, but eventually they finished sorting through Finn's stuffed. Because Finn didn't have any stuff from his time in Canada, a lot of his stuff had a lot more meaning to Santana, so she kept most of his stuff.


	60. Chapter 60

"GET UP!" One of the henchmen bellowed as loud as he could. Finn's eyes snapped open and he stumbled to his feet, groaning in his pain. It had been more than a month without him seeing the light of the outside, and he probably never was going to again. His predicament was the worst predicament possible. It was worse than death. God, Finn wished he was dead right now. To his surprise, Finn's shackles were removed, but he was in too much pain to try an escape. He let the henchmen drag him out of the basement, and for the first time in a month, Finn was dragged outside and he saw light.

The sudden change of lighting from the lightless basement to the glaring rays of the sun burned Finn's eyes. His pupils went into hyperdrive, trying to adjust to the new environment, and Finn squinted for the next minute before he could finally see around him.

He was being dragged towards a jeep, and was presumably going somewhere. Finn had no idea where. He was blissfully unaware of what was going to happen.

Finn was thrown roughly into the trunk of the jeep and it was slammed on him, leaving him in the confines of the small space. Luckily, a few rays of light flooded into the boot of the car due to a couple of holes. Finn watched as they drove through the forest, and straight into Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Where the hell was he going? Why was he going into the city? Wouldn't a drug cartel prefer to work in the shadows rather than in the spotlight? Finn spied the various meaningless signs on the side of the road, listing random locations in the city. Suddenly, the car stopped, and was put into park. From Finn's vantage point, he couldn't see where he was, but he would really soon. The trunk was quickly opened and Finn was dragged out of the trunk. He looked around and when he realised where he was, he almost threw up in horror and anxiety.

They were in Tacumbu prison, the largest prison in Paraguay that was entirely run by the same cartel Flaco Ruiz headed. If Finn was locked in this place, he wouldn't last a day in his current state. Everyone would be out for his blood, and they had various weapons to use at their disposal. He could get raped, stabbed, slashed, shivved, beaten with a baton, and countless other gruesome things that were a common occurrence in the prison to people who weren't with the cartel. Prisoner searches were extremely lenient and rare, so many inmates carried shivs, batons, drugs and many other items from the devil's arsenal. The budget for the prison was practically nonexistent - there were around 60 guys per cell, and 8 beds in each cell. The extremely unhygienic cell blocks were breeding grounds for diseases such as T.B and other illnesses. There were practically no guards in the prison, and those who were there were either paid off or blackmailed by the cartel. Please don't lock me in here. Please don't lock me in here. Please don't lock me here, Finn told himself.

"Welcome to your new home." The henchman grinned toothily at him, revealing an array of yellow and silver death.

"Fuck…" Finn said to himself. What was he going to do now? Any hopes of possible surviving were all but gone now.

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George and Santana were standing outside McKInley High, staring at the small tree that had been replanted in memoriam of Finn. George turned to Santana.

"Hey, give me that jacket." He said. "Seriously, I'll pay you for it. You have so many mementos. I got nothing to remember him by."

"Well, you can't have this." Santana said, bluntly. George started to get annoyed.

"That jacket is reserved for people who've earned it." He snapped. "I'm not gonna let you ruin it and bedazzle it up like some project runway shawl."

Santana squared up with George. Although George was much bigger and would probably win in a fight, Santana never backed down.

"So what are you gonna do, beat me up and take it from me?" She asked, angrily. "Throw me in a dumpster? You can't have it." She said, walking away.

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Later that day, George and Santana were staring at Finn's old locker. A whole shrine had been made to him in front of him, completely with messages, candles and flowers. It was absolutely beautiful. Suddenly, three of the new Cheerios walked over and started blowing out the candles and removing them. George's and Santana's eyes widened.

"Um… what the hell do you think you're doing?" Santana asked.

"Principal Sylvester told us the candles have got to go. She said she got a call from the fire marshal." She snarked, picking up the candles. George, who had finally reached his breaking point, shoved the Cheerio into the lockers and started choking her with his forearm.

"Listen, bitch… my best friend just died, so I'm not really thinking straight, and I have no problem beating up a girl. I will tear you limb from limb and dump your remains in the Ohio River, until you keep walking. NOW!"

Santana watched the exchange and her eyes widened. She quickly dragged George away. THe last thing they wanted was for him to also be arrested for assault.

"It's not worth it." Santana whispered in his ear.

"But…" George exclaimed. Santana turned back to the Cheerio.

"Look, this is… this is insane." Santana spat at the younger girl and then ran down the corridor to Sue's office. She entered and slammed the door behind her.

"You have no right to take down that memorial!" Santana yelled.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do, Sandbags. I allowed that memorial to remain in the hallway for over a week." Sue coolly replied.

"Oh please! You want that memorial gone because you're such a coldhearted bitch." Santana shouted, her voice starting to break with tears.

"What did you just call me?" Sue growled.

" A miserable, self-centered bitch." Santana spat. "Who has spent every waking minute of her time here trying to make our lives miserable. I'm officially over it!"

"I don't care for your attitude." Sue said.

"Well, I don't give a rat's ass what you care for! You are not my principal. See, I don't go here anymore, Sue, and that means I can finally tell you exactly what I think of you. I have HATED you ever since the day I met you. You are a horrible person who never had a nice word to say about Finn Hudson, so don't you dare think for a second that he didn't hate you too!"

"If I were you, I would choose my next few words very carefully." Sue growled, threateningly.

"What are you going to do?" Santana said, slightly hysterically. "You gonna expel me?"

"You get the hell out of my office!" Sue shouted.

"How about you make me?" Santana said, squaring up to Sue.

"Donna, call the police!" Sue shouted at her immobile receptionist who was in the next room.

"Donna, if you call them, I will shove my foot so far up your…"

"THAT'S ASSAULT!" Sue shouted. Santana shook her head.

"No, this is assault!" She shouted back, and she sent a mean uppercut right into Sue's chin, and left the room.

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"Aah, Will, right on time!" Ms. Pillsbury said as Will entered her office. Will and Emma had started dating the summer after Finn's cohort graduated, and also recently got engaged. But Finn's death had put a pause on any wedding planning.

"Emma, I'm happy some people are finally coming to you for help, but I don't think I need grief counseling."

"Have a seat." Emma said. "Come on."

Reluctantly, Will sat down next to Emma in her cosy office.

"Will, I was with you when you found out that Finn died. Okay? I stood right next to you at the funeral. And I couldn't help but notice something."

"What?" Will asked.

"You haven't cried." Emma replied.

"What are you saying, that… that I don't feel anything?"

"No, that's not what…"

"Of course I feel something, Emma."

"I-I feel… I feel more than I know how to express. I… I'm heartbroken. To be honest, I don't even know how we're all supposed to move forward, but in the meantime, I have to make sure that the people around me are taken care of."

"Okay. Okay." Emma said. "Listen to me, okay? I love you. Whatever you feel and however you want to show it, that's okay. I just… I think there's gonna come a time when you need to... let it all out, and I want you to know that I plan on being here for you when you do."

Will kissed Emma's forehead.

"I have to get back to class." He said.

"Okay." She said, and he left the room.

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The next morning, Coach Beiste was going through her various football playbooks, looking for one to use for their next game. After all, despite everything that was going on, she was still the football coach. Suddenly, she noticed a couple of loose pages sticking out of one of the notepads. She pulled it out and immediately noticed Finn's untidy handwriting. It had been one of the plays they had designed during their early morning tactics meetings in preparation for State Championships. Coach Beiste put her head in her hands.

Suddenly, the door to the locker room swung open and George stumbled inside. Coach Beiste stood up when she saw him, and immediately knew that he was intoxicated.

"You're drunk." She shouted. "You puke in my locker room, you're cleaning it up."

"Come on, what's the big deal?" George asked, stumbling over to a bench.

"Look, I get needing something to get through the first few days, but it's been a month. You don't have to be scared to have feelings."

"That's crap! Of course I do!" George shouted.

"WHY? We're all having them!" Beiste yelled back.

"Not like mine!" George bellowed. "No one understands!"

"Understands what? Tell me!"

"That if I start crying, I don't think I'll ever stop!" He bellowed. George kicked a locker in anger.

"You know, Finn would've kicked over one of my chairs." She pointed out, with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah." George replied. "That was his specialty."

"Sit down." Beiste said, pointing to the benches next to them. George walked over and sat down next to him. Slowly, tears started to stream out of his eyes.

"I can't take it." He sobbed. Beiste hugged him, showing a rare softer part of herself. "What chance do I have of not being an idiot and hurting people without him around to remind me who I really am?"

"You just go to do that for yourself now… and see yourself the way he saw you."

"It's not good enough for me! It's not like when he was alive!"

"Well, you've gotta make it good enough because it's all we got left. And I'm telling you this straight, 'cause that's how you and I talk. He's dead… and all we've got left is his voice in our head."

Both of them collapsed into sobs.

"I'm sorry, but it's time you… you gotta be your own Quarterback."

George nodded and sighed, blinking back tears and forcing his voice to be steady.

"Do you think we could… retire his number?" George asked. "Santana took his letterman jacket, but maybe… maybe we could frame it or something, and put it up in here. Other kids should know who he was years from now."

"Yeah." Beiste replied. "I can get that done. But you gotta promise to put the tree back."

George looked up quickly at Coach Beiste.

"I didn't take the tree." He said, unconvincingly. She glared at him. "Fine, I took the tree." he admitted. "It was a garbage tree, though. It wasn't big enough."

"They grow, you know." She replied.


	61. Chapter 61

"Welcome to Tacumbu, bitch." One of the henchmen said, dragging him inside. At this point, although he was very weak, Finn was able to walk on his own, and he knew that pretty soon, he would have to fight, too. He had heard horror stories about this prison: fatal riots have earned Tacumbu a reputation for brutality and bloodshed. A guard had been killed in Tacumbu in a riot, by the inmates grabbing him and beheading him in a massacre. It's so underfunded that inmates fight for every dollar. As Finn walked inside the guard's block for his check-in into the prison, he spotted various inmates in the yard, holding knives and shivs right in front of the guards, but the guards were powerless to stop them, in fear of riot.

Once Finn was led inside the entrance of the prison, the metal vault-like doors slammed behind him. He was truly locked in now. Firstly, Finn was completely stripped down and searched for drugs and weapons. Two prisoners were stabbed to death here just a fortnight ago, so the guards were wary of anyone entering. However, they were told by the cartel that Finn was some kind of foreign agent, and he should be on the blacklist of prisoner (in the prison but with no record of him ever being there) and they knew that he was going to die pretty quickly. Many of the guards were cartel members themselves, so that didn't help.

After his search, Finn skipped the mugshot and fingerprint part of the check-in as he was an unrecorded prisoner. So far this year, there's been, on average, a death every two weeks inside Tacumbu. He had to admit, he was unusually nervous. He was being locked up with 600 people who wanted nothing more than to tear him to shreds.

As he entered the main body of the prison, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was like being in a vast, overcrowded, dangerous slum. There weren't nearly enough cells for everyone, so many people were forced to live outside. Inmates could apply to live inside the safety of the cell blocks, but they had to pay a lot of money for that. Nobody was about to be letting Finn live there any time soon. They all glared at him and spat as he walked by, a few of them making threatening gestures with their shivs. The guys outside didn't even have beds, let alone cells. Tacumbu, at a first glance, looked very disorganized, very threatening, very scary. It was overcrowded, and in extreme poverty, leading to fights. The guards threw him into the yard, and locked the door behind him. Finn was now at the mercy of the 600 angry prisoners. One of the braver inmates walked up to him.

"You're going to die in here, pig." He spat. Finn forced himself to hide all fear he was feeling, and he just rolled his eyes at the prisoner.

"No, I'm not." Finn said, almost bored. Suddenly, Finn saw a glint of light being reflected on a silver object in the prisoner's hand. A knife! No, a machete! Finn reacted immediately: with a spurt of herculean strength, he grabbed the inmate and hurled him a good 50 yards across the prison, as if the man was made of feathers. The rest of the prisoners were taken by surprise - the man was more threatening than he looked, they thought. Finn picked up the machete, which had fallen out of the guy's hand when Finn threw him, and he looked at the rest of the prisoners. Before he could say anything, he saw a guard sprinting into the prison, trying to protect the rest of the prisoners.

"Hey! You!" The guard shouted. "Come with me! You're going in the pit!"

The pit was by far the worst part of Tacumbu. Anyone who was caught misbehaving was thrown into a solitary isolation cell - the pit - which was a 2 meter by two meter space, with no light. The prisoners in the horror cell would be given minimal food, and a bucket to urinate and excrete in. It was inhumane, to say the least, and Finn was not going.

"I'm not going." Finn said, simply. The guard pulled a gun out, but Finn wasn't scared. He knew that the guard wouldn't shoot, as if they wanted Finn dead, he would have been killed long ago. No, the cartel had something different in mind. They wanted to turn Finn and make him join the cartel! Although Finn would never do that, there was no way he was going in the pit.

"Yes you are! Now move!" The guard shouted.

"Make me." Finn growled, and he spat in the guard's face. The prisoners all gasped and cheered - they had a sudden respect for Finn. As Finn was dragged away by 6 guards, the prisoners started cheering. Finn smiled to himself. His plan had worked perfectly. He now had the respect of a couple of the prisoners, and he could use them for protection.

A week later, when Finn was finally released from the pit, surprisingly, he didn't feel as insane as other pit veterans. He had found a way to pass the time: singing. He would just sing for hours on end, and the time would fly by. He was thrown out of the pit complex and into the main pavilion, and when the rest of the prisoners saw him, they left him in peace. They hated that he was a foreigner, but didn't want to cross him. According to the prisoners, the guy was unhinged. Crazy. Maniacal.

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"Who would like to sing for us today?" Mr. Schue asked. It was the third day of Finn's Glee memorial, and Bella was yet to show up. Will understood though. Santana stood up.

"My turn." She said, walking to the front of the room. "Um… I know that I always distract myself by insulting others, but ever since I met Finn, I've never had a bad thing to say about him. He didn't have a bad bone in his body. Sure we fought, but family members do. That's what Finn was to me: family. And I…" A tear rolled down Santana's cheek, but she sniffed and forced herself to continue. "I… I don't know how to deal with his death. All I know is that now, he's with his mom again. We miss you, Finn." She finished, looking up, presumably at heaven.

_If I die young bury me in satin_

_Lay me down on a bed of roses_

_Sink me in the river at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song_

_Uh oh uh oh_

_Lord make me a rainbow_

_I'll shine down on my mother_

_She'll know I'm safe with you when_

_She stands under my colors, oh and_

_Life ain't always what you think it oughta be, no_

_Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby_

_The sharp knife of a short life,_

_Well, I've had just enough time_

_Ooh yeah_

_Ooh whoa_

_So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls_

_What I never did is done_

Santana was visibly breaking down towards the end of the song, but she forced herself to continue.

_If I die young_

_Bury me in satin_

_Lay me down on a bed of roses_

_Sink me in the river at dawn_

_Send me away with the words of a love song_

_Uh oh_

At this point, Santana was full-on sobbing, and couldn't speak. The back-up singers and band stopped playing, as Santana clearly couldn't sing another word. It was unlike Santana to break down like this, so Mr. Schue and Brittany, stood up, concerned, and they walked towards her. Before they reached her, Santana sprinted out of the room, screaming and sobbing.

Santana was sitting in the auditorium, looking at the stage that Finn had performed so many times on, when she felt someone sit down next to her. It was Rachel.

"Look, Berry, if you're going to mock me or something, now's not the time." Santana said, tiredly.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, gently. "You sang beautifully."

"I couldn't do it." Santana mumbled.

"There was only one more chorus."

"I couldn't do it." She said again. "When I was singing, all I could think about was junior year, when Finn ran away, and I acted like a complete bitch to him."

"Oh come on, I'm sure he's forgiven you." Rachel said, putting a hand on Santana's hand.

"I know, but that's only because Finn's the most forgiving person in the world. I didn't even apologise to him afterwards. He even took a bullet for me, and I don't even remember thanking him. I didn't deserve his friendship."

"Of course you did." Rachel said. "Finn loved you, Santana. For God's sake, he let you live in his house for three months. It's like you said in the choir room, you two were more than friends - you were family. And how do you think I feel right now? All I did during high school was insult and belittle Finn in every way I could. Now he's gone and I…"

Rachel's voice trailed off as tears splashed onto her skirt.

"Look, if there's one thing that I've learned from Finn dying, it's that regret is a wasted emotion. Sure you and Finn had your differences, but you were also the best duet partnership in McKinley Glee club history. I'm sure Finn had regrets too, but who cares now?"

"He was a much better person than I am." Rachel said, quietly. Santana laughed.

"He was a much better person than all of us. Don't take it personally. But Finn really cared about you. He cared about everyone. It didn't matter how many arguments or fights occurred, he would always forgive and forget."

Rachel nodded. Santana had started crying again, just thinking about Finn.

"Can you leave please?" Santana asked, quietly. Rachel nodded and walked back to the choir room for the rest of the memorial. Santana needed a bit of time away from the memorial though. It was too much.

After a couple of hours break from the memorial, they all gathered back in the choir room to continue.

"Um… Mr. Schue? Could I please sing?" George asked. Mr. Schue nodded and George stood up. He picked up a guitar and sat on a stool.

"God… I have no idea what to say. Finn was my brother. We stuck by each other no matter what, and we always had each other's back. When I found out that Finn was gone, I honestly believed that a life without him isn't one worth living. I was thinking about doing something stupid, but I didn't, because I knew that Finn would never forgive me if I did. Now, all I can do is miss him, like I'm sure all of you do. Back in Canada, when we were like 13, Finn and I used to write songs together. And I remember once, we wrote a love song, and it was Finn's favourite song to sing. He would sing it in the shower, in the car, everywhere. It was called Say You Won't Let Go."

George started playing his guitar.

_I met you in the dark, you lit me up_

_You made me feel as though I was enough_

_We danced the night away, we drank too much_

_I held your hair back when_

_You were throwing up_

_Then you smiled over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I was stone-cold sober_

_I pulled you closer to my chest_

_And you asked me to stay over_

_I said, I already told ya_

_I think that you should get some rest_

_I knew I loved you then_

_But you'd never know_

_'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go_

_I know I needed you_

_But I never showed_

_But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed_

_I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head_

_And I'll take the kids to school_

_Wave them goodbye_

_And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night_

_When you looked over your shoulder_

_For a minute, I forget that I'm older_

_I wanna dance with you right now_

_Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever_

_And I swear that everyday you'll get better_

_You make me feel this way somehow_

_I'm so in love with you_

_And I hope you know_

_Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold_

_We've come so far, my dear_

_Look how we've grown_

_And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_I wanna live with you_

_Even when we're ghosts_

_'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most_

_I'm gonna love you 'til_

_My lungs give out_

_I promise 'til death we part like in our vows_

_So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows_

_That it's just you and me 'til we're grey and old_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Just say you won't let go_

_Oh, just say you won't let go_

When George finished singing, everyone clapped. Tears came to everyone's eyes as they remembered how Finn used to sing that song. They all gathered around George and gave him a group hug - they knew how hard it was for him. Probably, asides from Bella, he was going through the roughest time. Suddenly, the door swung open and Santana stormed inside.

"Where is it, Shelley?!" Santana screamed at him. George raised an eyebrow.

"It's just a tree. I told Beiste I'd put it back." He replied.

"No, not the tree. Finn's jacket. I went for a lie-down in the nurse's office, hung it up on the coat rack by her door, and when I woke up from my grief siesta, it was gone. I know you took it! We ALL know you took it!"

"I didn't take a jacket." George snarled.

"If we were rounding up the usual suspects, that would pretty much just be you." Artie remarked.

"I didn't take FINN'S JACKET!" George screamed, slamming a hand on the piano.

"ENOUGH!" Mr. Schue yelled. "Please! No fighting this week."

The bell rang and everyone shuffled out the room. Santana shoulder-barged past George and left the room. Soon, it was just Mr. Schue and George left in the room.

"Mr. Schue." George said. "You can keep the jacket tonight, but I need it back tomorrow. It's Santana's."

Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow.

"Pardon me?" He said. George rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Mr. Schue! I lived with Finn for long enough for him to teach me how to read people. You have the jacket. You stopped our argument so we'd stop talking about it."

"George, I don't have Finn's jacket." Mr. Schue scoffed.

"Really, so if I open that bag, I won't find a letterman jacket in there?" George asked, pointing to Mr. Schue's backpack, which was lying at the side of the room. He opened the bag and revealed a red and yellow letterman jacket. Mr. Schue put his head in his hands in shame, and George softened a little.

"Look, Mr. Schue, I understand wanting the jacket. All of us want some piece of Finn to keep close to us. But that jacket is Santana's.

Santana walked into Sue's office that afternoon, cautiously. She knocked on the door and Sue looked up, instantly wary when she saw who it was.

"I owe you an apology." Santana said.

"Have a seat." Sue replied. Santana sat on the sofa next to her former-cheerleading coach.

"Okay, look, all I can say is that I'm really…"

"Shut up." Sue cut in. "You were absolutely right." Sue said. "Everything you said, you were right. I was horrible to that kid, I was horrible to everyone, and I'm utterly destroyed that he died thinking I didn't like him."

"Well, um… maybe this could be a lesson. You know, you could start being nicer…" Santana started.

"Oh, cut the crap, will you?" Sue interrupted again. "I don't care about that. I don't care about people. I care about him. He was such a good guy, and I'll never get to tell him. There's no lesson here, no happy ending. There's just nothing. He's just gone."

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Soon, it was the final day of the memorial. Mr. Schue had given back the jacket to Santana, and apologised profusely. Santana felt so bad for yelling at George about it, so bad that she actually offered to give George the jacket. He politely declined though. He said that because he had 3 more years of memories with Finn, Santana deserved more mementos.

The Glee club were standing in front of Finn's locker, looking at the shrine that they had made. Half the school, both alumni and current students had left messages. It was incredible to see how many lives Finn had touched.

"This is sort of cheesy." Mercedes said. Suddenly, someone walked up behind them.

"No, it's beautiful."

They all turned and saw Bella and Quinn. Their mouths dropped. They didn't think that Bella would be coming to the memorial. She had a really hard time at Finn's funeral, and she still looked devastated.

"I just had to see it." Bella explained.

They walked into the choir room together, and Bella stood at the front of the room.

"Nobody treat me with kid gloves, okay?" She said. "I don't know what to say, either. I loved Finn, and… he loved me, and he loved all of you guys. I know he did. I like to sing in the car and, um… and before Finn, I used to sing alone…" Bella's voice cracked from her tears, but she forced herself to continue. "This was the first song that I… sang with him when we would… drive around together, so… this is for him."

_Heart beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone_

_All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_Time stands still_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything, take away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath, every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed, I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_One step closer_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday, waiting for you_

_Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed, I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

The performance was so full of emotion, full of grief, full of heartbreak. Tears rolled down Bella's cheeks as she mourned her dead boyfriend. He was gone, and all she had left was the memories.

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Later that day, Santana was helping Mr. Schue take down Finn's memorial shrine. Things between them had been icy cold since Mr. Schue took Finn's jacket, and he felt so guilty about it.

"Look, Santana, I'm so sorry about the jacket. I didn't realise how much it meant to you." He said.

"It's okay, Mr. Schue. Honestly, it's okay. I'm just glad that I've got it back before I go home."

"Home, here home?" Mr. Schue asked, referring to Lima. Santana shook her head.

"Pennsylvania. That's my home now. I'm not coming back here for a while. More than a while. Maybe never. You know, I used to love being here, but now this just reminds me of everything that I've lost."

"I understand." Mr. Schue said. "You should go."

Santana raised an eyebrow.

"Well, geez, Mr. Schue, you don't have to rush me out the door."

"I'm a teacher." He said. "It's supposed to make me happy to see my kids grow up and leave the nest."

"Does it?" Santana asked, straight-up.

"Well, I can say for a fact that it certainly beats the alternative."

Mr. Schue hugged Santana and they both spent the next couple of hours crying.

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George and Beiste were on the lawn of McKinley, and George had just finished planting another tree. Once he was done, he put the shovel down and opened a small cooler that was next to him, taking out two beer bottles.

"Seriously, Shelley?" Beiste growled.

"It's root beer." He said, handing her one of the bottles.

"Oh," She said, laughing and accepting the glass bottle. They clinked their bottles together and took a sip.

"Hey, you know? George said. "50 years from now, when this tree is 30 feet tall, it'll finally be the same height as Finn."

Coach Beiste chuckled at the joke.

"Do you think people will know, 50 years from now, who the tree was planted for?" He asked.

"Probably not." Beiste said, honestly.

"You know what's tripping me out?" George said. Beiste shook her head. Puck pointed at the plaque that was planted onto the ground, next to the tree. It read:

**In Loving Memory of Finn Hudson 1994 - 2016**

George pointed to the hyphen between the two dates.

"This line… it's his whole life. Everything that happened is in that line."

"What are you gonna do with your line now, Shelley?" Beiste asked.

"I'm gonna make a man of myself." He replied. "You know, if Finn was around, I'd just keep letting him point me in the right direction. Now… it's up to me to figure it all out."

"I'm proud of you." Beiste said.

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"Hey Mr. Schue." Bella said, as she walked into the choir room. Everyone had gone home, as the memorial was officially over, but Mr. Schue was still in school. "How are you doing?" She asked.

"Everyone keeps asking me that." He sighed.

"Well, from what I hear, you've been a rock for everyone, so I know that that means that sometimes you don't get to grieve yourself."

"I'm okay." He replied. "I mean, I'm… I'm really not okay, but, uh, yeah. More importantly, how are you?"

"I have no idea." She whispered. "I talk to him a lot. I can still see his face, and can hear his voice so clearly. Do you think that I'll ever forget it? Because I'm afraid that one day, I will."

A tear ran down her cheek.

"What do you talk to him about?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Anything. I mean, when we were dating, it was, you know, pretty much me talking all the time and him just pretending to listen, so it's not really that different."

They both chuckled.

"I had it all planned out." Bella said. "He was going to get discharged from the Army, and we were going to start a life together. He would be able to get his education too. Did he ever tell you what he wanted to be after the army?" Bella asked. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No, I don't know." He said.

"He wanted to be a teacher. He said that he wanted to inspire kids the way you inspired him."

Mr. Schue was speechless. A couple of tears ran down his cheek.

"He would have made a great teacher. He cared about everyone."

Bella nodded.

"Yeah, and then we would get our happily ever after." She finished.

"It's a good plan." Mr. Schue commented. "Did you tell him?"

"I didn't have to. He could always tell what I was thinking, even if I didn't say it. HE could practically read my mind."

"And… now what?" Mr. Schue asked. Bella shrugged.

"I don't know. Something different."

"Maybe something better." Mr. Schue pointed out.

"I just… I don't think that that's possible. He was my person. But thank you so much for doing all of this. I felt like I didn't know how everyone else was hurting almost as much as I was."

And thus ended the memorial for Finn Hudson.


	62. A Year Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you recall, Finn is a blacklist prisoner in a corrupt Paraguayan prison. He has been in prison for a year and now what happens?

The next year and a half was by far the worst of Finn's life. He was stuck in prison - the target of both the guards and the inmates. Drugs such as crack and marajuana were like gold in the prison, people stabbed and killed each other for drugs. Rape was also a huge problem in the prison. 45% of the prisoner in the prison had been convicted with rape, and more than half the prison population had HIV. This was a huge problem, especially given how many inmates were raped by other inmates. Some of the inmates had tried to rape Finn during his first few months behind bars, but a couple of broken limbs later, they decided to leave Finn alone. However, that didn't mean that they didn't try to harm him.

Many people got stabbed over disagreements about drugs, and Finn was almost one of them several, several times. In his second month in prison, one of the leaders of the prison - an inmate who was serving a life sentence for raping and killing his four daughter - accused Finn of stealing around half a kilo of marajuana from him. Finn denied this claim, but the man - Tito Florez - didn't believe him. While Finn was in the canteen on night, collecting his measly dinner portion, ten men cornered him. Finn fought all of them off, actually killing two of them, and critically injuring the other 8. It was at that moment that Finn realised something: no matter how many people he fought off, more would come and take their place. After all, there were 600 people in the prison, all of whom were after Finn's blood. There was only one thing to do… become one of them.

Over the course of the next few months, Finn went from being target number 1, to one of the rulers of the prison. It all started when he killed a guard. Finn would never kill a guard that actually worked for the government, so he killed one of the ones that he knew was corrupt, and worked for the cartel. He gained the respect of many from this action. Next step was drugs. Finn was forced to become both a dealer and an addict to marajuana and crack. He helped narcotics take over the whole prison, but to his horror, he became an addict. Despite how horrible he had been taught that drugs were, he craved the lack of pain he felt whenever he was high.

However, something Finn hated most about the prison was that none of the prisoners had any remorse about their crimes. They were rapists, murderers, cannibals, drug traffickers, human traffickers, and many other ruthless, hardened criminals, and yet believed that somehow, that they were helping the world. To Finn, this stung even more the monthly beatdowns he got from the guards.

After just over a year in the prison, Finn sat in his cell. He always spent a couple of hours a day just sitting, closing his eyes and meditating. It helped calm his brain after having smoked narcotics. During this time, Finn would sit and wonder… What were his friends up to? They would have graduated from college by now, and were starting their adult lives. Finn often thought about Bella. Was she okay? Was she dating someone else? He hoped she was, as he wanted her to first and foremost be happy, even if that meant not being with him. Besides, he probably wasn't leaving this place. EVER.

Suddenly, Finn heard the crack of two gunshots in the pavilion, and his eyes snapped open. What the hell? Finn peered out of his cell window. Luckily, as one of the high level prison inmates, he didn't have to share a cell with others like peasants did. As he looked out the small, square window, he saw a riot waiting to happen. All of the guards in the prison were all on the pavilion, wielding automatic weapons, and facing a gang of advancing prisoners. Finn sucked in a breath. This was going to be good. He watched for a moment as the peasants managed to set fire to the pavilion greenery, when suddenly, something dawned on him: if all of the guards were on the pavilion, none were guarding the entrance!

In the past year, Finn's military coded brain helped him memorise the name and face of every single guard. There were 35, all men, all Latino, all of whom were outside. First things first, Finn needed an escape route. Again, his years in the military came in handy. He quickly calculated that if he left the pavilion through the door, he would probably be dragged into the riot and quite possibly killed. That left one option for him. Summoning all the strength he had, which wasn't much due to the constant consumption of drugs messing with his system, and he kicked a hole through the concrete back of his cell. Thank god all cells were ground level; he did not want to have to jump. Amidst the chaos, the guards didn't hear the bang and the crumpling of the concrete, and Finn slipped out of his cell, undetected, with his machete in his hand.

The next step was escaping the prison itself. Obviously, the front door wasn't an option - it was made of indestructible metal - so he found a patch of the metal fencing that was particularly corroded, and cut and tugged at it with his machete until it finally came loose and broke. As Finn slithered through the small gap he couldn't believe it… After a whole year in the hellhole, he was finally out!

The next part of his plan was the hardest though. Where the hell was he going to go? It had been a whole year, so he didn't remember anyone's phone number, nor did he have a phone. Also, he didn't want to go into the city in fear of being spotted by a cartel member. After all, although they didn't have his name or any information about him, he was sure that they had his picture. That left only place he could go to, but it was a VERY, VERY long shot. There was a U.S Naval Base of the coast of Brazil. Using his internal mapping skills, he knew that he had to walk North East. He also knew that the journey was a suicide mission - it was almost 1500km in a forest environment. The journey itself would take around a month, let alone adding the time it took to find food and water. However, it was his only choice, so he trudged away from Tacumbu and into the night…

**Two months later**

Two months later, and Finn literally felt like his body was about to fail him and die. Due to his time in Tacumbu, he was far from his peak physical condition. In fact, even then, he was sometimes on the brink of death. Embarking on a one month long trek would only make him worse. Well, what he thought was a one month trek. In reality, it took a LOT longer. He would walk for around 8 hours a day, and the rest of the time would be spent finding food, water and shelter. He had to learn how to trap and catch game without a firearm, and he was forced to drink contaminated, filthy lake water. Also, his body was craving drugs with a passion. He was obviously forced to quit cold turkey as he didn't have any narcotics on him. Finn couldn't complain though - he was still alive.

Another huge problem with the trek were the wildlife and insects he had to face. He wasn't in the city - he was in the forest and that was THEIR territory - so the animals had no problem walking, crawling, flying or slithering up to him. He learnt how to defend himself against possibly venemous snakes, wild cats and dogs and spiders.

Disease was also particularly prevalent. He was drinking contaminated water, being bitten by wild insects and was eating sometimes raw animals, opening him up to a host of diseases. He could feel his body fading more and more each day, but he forced it not to completely shut down.

However, eventually, the harsh conditions were too much for him. He urged his body onwards, as there was probably only around 20 km until he made it, but his body refused to cooperate.

"Come on, Finn. You've got this." He told himself. He wasn't about to have gone through all of that only to die now. But however nice the sentiment was, his body wasn't there to back it up. Finn collapsed onto the soft, leafy ground, letting himself slowly drift away. He hoped that God would take pity on him. After all, when he killed people, it was to protect civilians. And when he went on drugs, it was to save himself from being killed by the inmates.

"Excuses, excuses." A small voice at the back of his head told him. Finn's vision then went black, and he let death finally take over…


	63. Chapter 63

" _Hey, pig." Tito Florez said to Finn. Finn glared at him. He had just arrived in Tacumbu two months ago, so was the target of every single inmate._

" _Say away unless you want your ass kicked." Finn warned._

" _You took something from us." Tito said, bluntly. Finn shook his head._

" _No, I didn't. I'm telling you, it wasn't me. I don't do that shit."_

" _Listen, you've screwed me over for the last time. Guys, surround him."_

_Finn was immediately surrounded by 8 inmates. He couldn't fight all of them, and he knew it. He might be a soldier, but he wasn't Superman. Finn felt his arms pulled behind his back and, just like two months ago, two men started laying punches at every inch of his body. Finn groaned in pain, and after a couple of minutes, they pulled back. Tito, who of course wasn't getting his own hands dirty with the beatdown, walked up to Finn. The guards were clearly 'not seeing' what was going on. Of course they weren't. Most of them worked for the fucking cartel anyways._

" _I ask again. Where is my product?"_

" _I don't fucking know." Finn growled._

" _Okay." Tito replied, and Finn spent another 10 minutes getting his ass kicked. Finn was bleeding from several different places, and bruises were flowering on every inch of his body._

" _One more time." Tito said, once he was satisfied. "Where. Is. My. Product."_

" _One more time." Finn mocked. "I. Don't. Know."_

_Tito raised an eyebrow. He realised that Finn might actually be telling the truth._

" _He's not lying." One of Tito's men remarked._

" _Yeah, no shit." Finn growled._

" _He's no use to me." Tito spat. "Gut him."  
_

_Suddenly, before he could react, he felt a searing pain in his stomach. When he looked down, he would've thrown up, but there wasn't any food in his stomach for him to be able to do so. There was a small blade jutting out of his stomach. Finn collapsed, drowning in an ever-growing pool of his own blood._

Finn woke up, panting and sweating. He wasn't dead. He was still alive. The knife incident happened over a year ago. He survived, and he was… wait, where was he? It took Finn a few moments for him to remember where he was. He felt an I.V drip connected to his arm, and he felt bandages wrapped around his left arm. He groaned in pain as he tried to sit up. His whole body throbbed painfully. Finn was obviously in the hospital, but he didn't know if he was in enemy hands or with Allies. He tried to rip off the wires connected to him and stand up, but his body wasn't responding to his brain. He was too tired to move, and the most he could do was to lift his head and look around. Although he was wary of an attack, he saw some reassuring signs. There was a Marine Corp and Navy logos branded on the wall, which made Finn believe that he somehow made it to the base. Suddenly, the door opened, and an American doctor walked inside. He had ginger hair, definitely not a brazilian, probably a western country.

"Hey, you're awake!" He exclaimed, rushing over. He had an american accent. Finn looked at him, suspicious.

"Who the fuck are you? And where am I?" Finn grumbled. The man smiled, sympathetically.

"I'm Doctor Grealish, Navy. A couple of our guys found you a couple of miles out and brought you to our Naval Base in Brazil."

Finn sat back and relaxed a little.

"Son of a bitch. I actually made it." He murmured to himself.

"You sure did. Where were you coming from? You don't look Brazilian." The Doctor used, curiously. Finn shook his head.

"I'm an American. Army." Finn replied. "Sorry. I don't know if I can tell you anymore than that. I've been MIA for the past year, so I don't know what's been going on in the past little while."

"No big deal." The Doctor said, reading his clipboard. "So, I've been your medical report. I'm not gonna lie to you. It was pretty close. Apparently, your heart actually stopped for a full 2 minutes, and we thought you were gone. Thankfully, we managed to restart your heart, so you're gonna be okay. Doesn't mean you're not going to hurt like a bitch for the next little while."

Finn chuckled and winced in pain. Even that slight movement felt like a sledgehammer had been taken to his ribs.

"Oh boy. Anyways, talk to me, doctor. What was wrong with me?" Finn asked. The doctor laughed.

"Where to start? First of all, you are severely malnourished and dehydrated. You have a broken arm, a sprained ankle, a half-healed knife wound, and that's just the outside stuff. You also have TB, typhoid, and for some reason, you have a little bit of spider venom in you."

"Of course I do." Finn groaned. The doctor laughed.

"Don't worry. It's not as bad as it sounds." He said. Finn raised an eyebrow and the doctor sighed. "Ok, it's just as bad as it sounds. You'll be here in this hospital for the next week before we fly you back to the States."

Finn nodded.

"I've been missing for a fucking year and a half. What's another week? Oh, speaking of which, can I borrow a phone to call my lieutenant?" Finn asked. The doctor nodded.

"Sure, we'll have a phone brought to you as soon as possible. If what you're saying is true and you've been MIA for a long time, I'm sure you'll also want to call your family."

Finn shook his head.

"My family's all dead." Finn said, quietly. The doctor's smile immediately dropped.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He said. Finn shrugged.

"It's fine. They died a while ago." Finn replied. The doctor nodded.

"Well, our top priority is to heal you, so I order you to sleep now." He said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" Finn asked.

"Sleep, or I'll put an armed guard outside your door."

Fin grumbled under his breath and fell asleep almost immediately. He was so behind on sleep it wasn't even funny. In Tacumbu, he got around an hour and a half of sleep per night, and that was no different to when he was trekking through the forest so technically, he hadn't gotten a full night of sleep in a year and a half.

When he woke up, morning rays of sun streaked through the blinds, and Finn squinted to adjust his eyes. He looked at the clock that was on the wall: it read 8:30 - presumably in the morning. Finn noticed a button next to his bed, it was the button that every hospital room in the world had, and it summoned the doctor or nurse. Finn clicked the button and sure enough, moments later, Dr. Grealish sprang into the room.

"Ah… how did you sleep?" The doctor asked. Finn smiled.

"Like a fucking baby. I haven't slept more than two hours in the past year and a half."

"Yeah, I could tell." Grealish replied. "Here's a phone by the way for you to make a call."

Finn nodded and took the phone. He decided to call the Lieutenant, and he picked up immediately.

"Hello?" Lieutenant said.

"Lieutenant, it's me, Hudson!" Finn exclaimed. Finn could hear the Lieutenant dropping a plate or glass of some kind, and it shattered on the ground.

"Hudson? But you're… dead!"

"No, I'm not. I was taken. Can I speak on an open line?" Finn asked. He heard the lieutenant running somewhere. "Lieutenant, you okay?" Finn asked.

"Yeah… I'm just surprised. Where the hell were you? It's been a year and a half?"

"I… I was caught by a cartel member before I even entered the compound. I was first brought to some shady-ass basement, and they tortured me for a month. You know, waterboarding, yanking out toenails and teeth, beating, burning, the whole 9. They wanted to know my name, who I worked for and stuff. Of course, I didn't tell them anything."

"What did you say? Because if you told them anything, we NEED to know." Lieutenant demanded.

"No, I swear I didn't. All I did was sing songs and spit in the guys' faces. It really didn't help with the torture."

"Okay." Lieutenant said, relieved. "Wait, you said you were there for a month? Where did you go next?"

Finn took a deep breath. This part was still hard to talk about.

"Have you ever heard of Tacumbu prison?" Finn asked.

"Of course. It's the most dangerous prison in Paraguay, and it's basically run by the cartel."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Finn scoffed. "They made me an unrecorded prisoner there, hoping that when I get beaten up, stabbed or raped by the inmates, it could be an incentive for me to talk."

"Well, what did you do?"

"I'll be honest. I did some bad shit there. Don't worry, I didn't betray my country in any way, but I had to find a way to earn the inmates' respect so I could survive. So I was basically a complete asshole of a prisoner - I beat up a ton of guards, I started dealing drugs. I became a bit of an addict as well. Although I never mentioned anything about who I was, or what my mission was, I did still commit several felonies, so you can arrest me if you want." Finn said, quietly.

"Don't be a dumbass. We're not gonna arrest you. You did what you had to do. As long as you didn't reveal any classified information, right?"

"Of course not." Finn said. "So anyways, I was in Tacumbu for a year and a half. By the end of that time, because I had started dealing drugs, I became one of the rulers of the prison. I was untouchable. Then, one day, there was a huge riot in the prison. The guards had taken away some privileges, and the prisoners weren't happy. They started to burn the pavilion, and the few guards that were in the prison all ran to the pavilion to contain the riots. I took the opening. Throughout my time in my cell, I used some of the water I would get to drink and pour it on a crack in the wall, causing water damage. By this point, the wall was weak enough for me to kick through it. I was finally out of my cell, and there were no guards around. I managed to cut through some corroded fencing and I was finally out of the prison. I escaped into the forest so I couldn't be found. I knew that there was a Navy Base in Brazil, but it was very far away. However, I didn't have much choice. I started trekking for 2 whole months, drinking filthy water and eating raw meat. I was a couple of miles out when I finally collapsed. I thought I was dead, but some troops found me and brought me back to the base."

Lieutenant sucked in a breath.

"Wow… um… that's some story. When you're well enough to fly, we'll go ahead with your debriefing. And for your service, I'm sure that you'll be receiving a Purple Heart."

"Thank you, sir."

"Take care, Hudson."

Finn hung up the phone and smiled. He let out a sigh of relief. He was finally safe. But his bliss didn't last long. He thought about his future, and Bella, and his friends. He was not nearly in a healthy enough state of mind to be a good boyfriend or friend. He needed some time to recuperation and reintegrate into society. But after that, he couldn't just walk back into their lives, could he?

No! Finn told himself. Stop thinking about that. Just think about recovery, and the rest will come later.

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**A Week Later**

"Hey Bella? Are you ready to go?" Quinn asked, walking into Bella's room. After they had both finished college, they found a two bedroom apartment together in Manhattan, so decided to move there. Quinn was working in a nearby cafe to help pay for her nursing school, and Bella was working in the cafe to help pay for dentistry school.

"Quinn, I don't think I'm going to come." Bella murmured. Quinn sighed.

"Come on, Bella. You haven't been out partying with us since… you know. It'll be good for you. Maybe you'll meet a cute guy?!"

Bella shook her head.

"No, it doesn't feel right."

"Look Bella, I understand where you're coming from, but what you're doing right now, it's not healthy. You need to get back out there. It's been a year since Finn died."

Tears sprang to Bella's eyes at the mere mention of her late boyfriend. Quinn's face softened when she noticed her friend's expression.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what you're going through. But what I do know is that you need to move on. He's been gone for a year, and as despite how much we would all love it, he's not coming back. Moving on is the healthy thing to do."

Bella shook her head. Quinn looked at her friend, sympathy and pity in her eyes. Bella didn't take Finn's passing too well as it was, and to make it worse, Bella never really got closure as they never found Finn's body. He had been pronounced as 'missing in action,' and after 6 months of hearing nothing from him, he had been presumed dead. Bella was really hurting from it, and it showed.

"Quinn, I'm not about to start dating anyone else. I was in love with him. He was my soulmate. It's like the first lottery ticket I ever bought was the jackpot, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to win again, not like that anyway, so I don't really want to buy lottery tickets anymore. Excuse me." Bella said, standing up and walking onto the terrace. Quinn sighed and put her head in her hands. She felt so helpless. There was practically nothing she could do to help her friend.

On the terrace, Bella sat on one of their deckchairs, and she looked up at the sky.

"Hi, Finn. It's me." She said, talking to the skies above. "Sorry to interrupt. I know you're probably up there chilling with your mom. Um… look, I've got a situation here. I think that I have been holding myself back from falling in love again. And I think it's because I can't let you go." Bella's voice trailed off into quiet tears, but she forced herself to continue. "But, you're not here anymore… so I have to ask this: would it be okay if I moved on? I realize that you have no way of answering that, but um…"

She was cut off when a long gust of wind blew into her face, tickling her cheeks.

"Oh, okay…" She laughed "I will take that as a yes. Um, in that case, I should probably go out tonight."

She started to walk back into the apartment, but turned back one more time. She had more to say.

"I guess this is it." She said, her voice breaking. "For real this time. Bye, Finn." She said, and then walked back into the apartment. When she walked in, Quinn looked up at her. Bella shook her head slightly.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. I can't." She whispered. Quinn nodded and just hugged her friend, letting her cry it out. Her boyfriend was dead, and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. Or so they thought. A couple of minutes later, Quinn's phone 'dinged' loudly, notifying her that she got a text. Quinn took the phone out of her pocket and her eyes widened when she saw who had written the message.

"Bella…" Quinn started but she got cut off.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm not going, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind." Bella replied. Quinn shook her head.

"No, Bella, I…" Quinn tried to speak again but was cut off by a now very annoyed Bella.

"QUINN! I said I'm not going!" Bella snapped.

"No… Bella, I just got a text… from Finn."

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"Hey boys, how was work?" George asked as he entered the apartment. Like Bella and Quinn, George, Harry and Liam decided to split the rent of a place together, but theirs was in Toronto, not New York. Every since Finn's death, nobody in the New Directions were doing too well: they weren't thriving, they were just surviving. Obviously, Finn's best friends were feeling a lot worse than others, despite everyone feeling somewhat depressed. Santana, for example, had stopped eating for about a month after Finn's death. She was already pretty slim before, but after Finn's death, she became unhealthily, scarily skinny. It was a month after Finn's death, when Santana had started feeling lethargic and dizzy spells and Brittany forced her girlfriend to get some emotional help. Although Santana was still miserable, she was no longer a risk to herself or others.

George, who was Finn's other closest friend, was absolutely devastated about Finn's death, obviously, but he dealt with it very similarly to how he dealt with his dad walking out on his mom and him: compartmentalising and telling himself that Finn was still alive. He knew that he probably wasn't though. After all, it had been a whole year since he went missing. Although the Army guy who broke the news to George just said that Finn's body hadn't yet been found but he was probably deceased, George had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that Finn had been taken by the enemy and was locked in a dark basement, having the crap beaten out of him.

As George threw his coat in the cupboard, his phone started beeping loudly. He picked it up and dropped it almost immediately.

"LIAM! HARRY! GET IN HERE!"

The two boys trudged into the living room from their own rooms.

"What's up, bro?" Harry said. With a trembling hand, George showed them his phone. Their mouths dropped when they saw the notification on the screen…


	64. Chapter 64

_Hey Everybody,_

_So I don't really know how to say this but… I'm not dead. As you know, I was pronounced MIA and presumed dead, but I wasn't really dead. For the past year and half, I've been in Paraguayan Cartel custody. I was tied up in an abandoned basement for a month, tortured for information I didn't know. After a month, they realised that I wasn't about to say anything anytime soon, so they wanted to transport me somewhere. It was too much effort to have 5 cartel members guarding me, but they didn't want to kill me in case I eventually squealed. So what they did was they threw me in the poorest, most dangerous prison in the world. It was basically a prison full of cartel and gang members, and a lot of guards were corrupt as well. I managed to escape though, a year and a half later, and that's why I'm alive today._

_But, even though I'm technically safe, my life is over. I'm in a worse place emotionally than I have ever been before, worse than when Carole died, my biological mom killed herself, or when my dad was abusive and I ran away. In the past five years, I've watched my brothers die right beside me, I've been tortured in so, so many different ways, I've been incarcerated in a corrupt prison where everyone wanted me dead. And that's not even the worst part. When I was in prison, I thought I was going to die, so I became an addict to marajuana and crack. I went cold turkey when I escaped the prison, and it's kinda killing me._

_I'm not Finn Hudson anymore. I just look like him. A doppelganger. I've changed so much. I don't see the bright side in any situation anymore. I don't make jokes. I wish I was dead. I would rather be dead. My life is pretty much over. I know that sounds like I'm gonna do something stupid but I swear I'm not. All I'm saying is that my life's not going to go anywhere. No direction._

_I'm not well, and it's not fair on any of you to have to deal with me like this. I'd rather the last memories you have of me be the ones we shared before I 'died', than to have them tarnished. I'm not fit to be in a relationship, or even a friendship at this point._

_I'm in Veterans therapy now, so don't worry. I am getting help. Maybe one day I'll be well enough to see a few of you again._

_Please don't try and find me. Trust me, you won't. I'm not going to stay in one place for too long. I'm going to travel. Quite possibly outside the States. I need a new start to my life, with new surroundings, new people._

_I'm so sorry,_

_Finn_

Finn sent the text message with a heavy heart. After it had been delivered to everyone in the Glee Club, he closed his phone and put his head in his hands. Right before he was deployed, Finn had stashed his wallet, phone, etc. in his locker in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, so luckily he had all that stuff. He had all of the money he earned in 5 years of service, so he was covered for the next little while. But he was lying to his friends when he said that he was travelling around. He had travelled more than enough for one lifetime as part of the Army - he had been to Russia, China, Brazil, Paraguay, Iran, Afghanistan, Israel, Syria, Cuba, Pakistan and Bangladesh, all in the past 6 years. He only said that to throw off anyone who tried to find him. Instead, he got on a flight to the last place they'd possibly look.

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"What the hell?" Bella asked, reading the text message, and tears rushing to her eyes. She had gone through so many emotions all at once. She was confused more than anything else. Finn was alive, but she was probably never going to see him again. Quinn finished reading the text message a bit before Bella, and she put an arm around her friend.

"He… he doesn't want to be with me."

"No, I'm sure Finn would love to be with you, in an ideal world. But you read that message, you saw the horrors of what he's been through. And you could tell he was holding back. A lot more happened to him than he mentioned in the message. He's not good, Bella, and he doesn't want to risk hurting the people around him. You could practically hear how much it was hurting him to write that. Look, I know it's hard to hear, but now you've got to face the facts… Finn might not be dead, but he truly is gone, and you've got to accept that and move on, difficult as it might be."

Bella took a deep breath and sniffed back her tears. She smiled faintly at Quinn.

"OK, you're right. I guess I was just holding out hope that Finn was somehow still alive, and would eventually come back to me. But I've gotta deal with the truth. Finn's gone, and there's nothing I can do to stop that."

"Atta girl." Quinn said. "And who knows? Maybe you'll find someone better. Finn 2.0."

Bella nodded. For the first time in 7 years, she was about to go on a date with a man that wasn't the tall brunette who stole her heart.


	65. Chapter 65

Finn stepped out of Lima Airport late that evening. Although he had lived there for two years, it felt like a completely different city. Sure it was still the same dump he remembered it to be, but he used to love it purely because of the people who lived there. But everyone he knew was gone now. After all, it had been 7 whole years since they graduated. Finn would've chosen any other city in the whole country to live in, but he appreciated the familiarity that the small city in Ohio brought. Finn carried his military issued duffel out of the airport, ready to start a new life.

In the next five hours, Finn had found an apartment to live in. It was a miniscule studio apartment, no bigger than a large, walk-in closet. It was absolutely horrible, but Finn had to make do. The next week was spent buying furniture and hooking up electricity and internet to his new place - because his place was not very big and he didn't have any money, he only was able to buy a microwave, mini fridge, kettle and a sofa which he would pull out into a bed. It was VERY bare-bones, but it was all he could afford. Finn slept that night on the lumpy, rough sofa bed, feeling like he had accomplished something. After all, 48 hours ago, he was in the middle of South America, in a hospital.

The next morning, Finn woke up and went to a nearby diner for breakfast. As he walked, Finn was constantly on alert. Lima was already a pretty rough, shady city, and his new neighbourhood was especially violent. However, Finn knew that no gang or group of thugs he would come across would even compare to the vile scum he butted horns with during his time in the military. After breakfast, he knew that he had to do something. He would probably be able to ghost everyone he knew that didn't live in Lima anymore, but there were a couple of people who still did and Finn knew that he was bound to bump into them eventually…

Walking into McKinley for the first time in 7 years was weird to say the least. It had changed so much - well, everything but the trophy cabinet which was still pretty empty - but Finn knew exactly where he was going. A couple of heads turned when he walked by, and he heard a bit of murmuring, but Finn didn't know why. He finally made it to the choir room and he knocked on the door. When Mr. Schue opened it, his mouth dropped.

Like everyone else in McKinley, Mr. Schue was under the impression that Finn had passed away, and it was taking him a few moments to realise that Finn was standing right in front of him. Finn smiled.

"Hey, Mr. Schue. Long time no see."

Mr. Schue finally gathered himself to respond.

"No way. I've gotta be going crazy. I thought you were… we all thought you were!"

Finn shook his head.

"Not dead, Mr. Schue. I wish I was. No, unfortunately what happened to me was the only thing worse than death. I was captured by the cartel in Paraguay. Long story short, I was imprisoned as an unrecorded prisoner in a prison run by the cartel, became addicted to drugs, started dealing to other prisoners, escaped after a year and a half, trekked for two months in the rainforest without food or water, somehow made it to a U.S Naval Base in Brazil, technically died for 2 minutes, was healed by Navy doctors, and yeah, that takes me to 48 hours ago."

"Wow… I… I can't believe it, Finn. We all thought you were gone. We even had a memorial for you."

Finn smiled.

"Really? You guys cared that much about me?"

Mr. Schue nodded.

"Of course. All of the alumni came for it. They weren't gonna miss it. And Santana and George helped organise your funeral all by themselves. They're gonna be so happy to see you! Have you seen them yet?"

Finn shook his head and looked down at the ground in shame.

"No, I haven't. And I don't plan on doing so."

Mr. Schue's jaw dropped.

"You… you're not?" Mr. Schue stammered. Finn shook his head.

"No. I need time to recuperate. I can't just jump back into my old life. All that'll happen is that I'll hurt everyone around me."

"Um… okay. Have you told them yet? And especially… you know?"

Finn did know.

"Yes I've told them all. I'm officially broken up with Bella."

"Oh, Finn. I'm so sorry. I know how much you cared about each other."

"It's fine. It's for the best. The last thing I want to do is hurt her even more by walking back into her life, mentally unwell."

"I understand. So what are you going to do with your life?" Mr. Schue asked him. Finn shrugged.

"Um… honestly, I think I just need a year's break from everything. I've been to hell and back twenty times in the last 6 years, and I need time to show me that the world isn't all bad."

"So, are you gonna travel?" Mr. Schue asked. Finn shook his head.

"No. I travelled a LOT in the Army, especially the last two years before I was captured, so I'm staying in Lima. I've rented a studio apartment, Look, I'm asking you as a mentor, as a father figure in my life, and as a friend… PLEASE don't tell anyone that I'm here! Not George. Not Santana. Not Bella. Nobody."

Mr. Schue was hesitant, but he reluctantly agreed.

"Fine. All I want is what's best for you, and if taking a break from your life's what you need, then so be it."

Relief flooded through Finn's face.

"Thank you, Mr. Schue. Thank you so much."

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Later that night, Finn was starting to get hungry, so he went to a bar for dinner; it was the same bar him, George, Liam and Harry had performed at 6 years ago. When Finn walked in, he couldn't help but smile at the familiarity. The same Jerry Rice, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes football jerseys were on the wall, the same stage was at the back of the room, the large TVs playing NFL games were still on the walls, and the delectable scent of bar food - burgers, wings, onion rings, etc. - wafted up Finn's nostrils. His stomach growled. He sat at the booth in the corner of the bar and he ordered his meal. One huge difference about Finn's lifestyle post-Army was that after all the killing and tortured he'd been through and seen, he had opted to become a vegan. He couldn't sit and eat caged animals that were being prepared for death, as their situations had so many parallels to his own less than a year ago. Instead of his typical burger or wings, Finn ordered a caesar salad, and when the waiter came with his food, he slid into the booth, opposite Finn. Finn looked up.

"Can I hel… Red! How's it going, man? You're a waiter now?

Red was the bartender for MacLaren's pub, and he and Finn had gotten pretty close during Finn's senior year of high school, as every month, Finn would come in and play a 2 hour gig. Red smiled at the guy.

"No, I'm still the bartender. But imagine my surprise when I realised that my friend, whom I believed to have been killed in the army 3 years ago, was sitting in my very bar!"

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I'm not dead. I was taken by the enemy and held for a year and a half before I escaped. Look, I really don't feel like getting into it right now. It's been a pretty rough couple of days for me. I just want my salad and beer, if that's ok."

Red nodded and passed Fin his food, but he didn't get up yet.

"What are you going to do now? With your life, I mean."

Finn sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know, man. All I know is that I need a break from the world. You know, spend some time in this dump of a city, clear my head a bit."

Red nodded.

"I get it, man. Well then, can I offer you a job opportunity?" Red asked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting I become a bartender? Because I'm down for that as long as… if any of the whiskey goes missing, none of y'all be blaming me."

Red laughed. Although Finn had clearly lost his cheerfulness and bubbliness, he still had remnants of it in the form of dry humor.

"No, not as a bartender. As it so happens, our singer/performer just got a better job in NYC, so he's moving there next Sunday, leaving an opening for you to take his place. We'll pay you to sing for a couple of hours a day, provided you can still sing, of course. It has been 6 years since high school after all."

Finn nodded.

"I can still sing." He replied. "But how much would I be making?" He asked. When Red told him the number, Finn smiled. It wasn't much, but it was enough for him to be able to scrape by. And he would be doing what he loved, so that was a bonus.

"Thank you, Red. So much. I'd love to do it!"

"Alright, you start Monday afternoon, from 4-6 and from 8 - 11. You got it?"

"Yes sir." Finn replied.


	66. Two months later

**Two Months Later**

_Consciousness returned slowly to Finn. He felt hungover, although he obviously hadn't drank. He was vaguely aware of being naked and cold so he reached for the blanket to cover himself with. His hands found nothing but cold concrete and his entire arm ached with the movement, from his shoulder down to his fingers._

_He opened his eyes and tried to remember where he was and how he got there. It was pitch black wherever he was and he felt around with his hands for some clue as to where he was. His entire body hurt and he gained nothing from the effort apart from the knowledge that he was on a few square feet of concrete._

_There were only flashes of memories, gone too quickly to try to piece them together. There were other people and a gun pointed at him. That must mean the mission had gone terribly wrong._

_A slow and painful crawl around the space he was in told him that he was in a small square room, probably around 10 feet in length. The walls were concrete like the floor and he couldn't feel a door. That wasn't a good sign. There might have been a trapdoor in the ceiling but his body was too broken to stand up and check._

_Under normal circumstances, Finn would have been on his feet and searching for an exit. However, he was hurting too much and he was too exhausted to do anything other than to resign himself to his situation for the time being and try to get some rest and heal. He curled up into a ball and closed his eyes._

_Suddenly, before he could fall asleep, the door swung open and a crack of light flooded into the dank room. A man with decaying teeth, sleeve tattoos and biceps as big as his face walked in._

" _Aah. Good! You're awake!" He exclaimed. Finn forced himself to stand up, no matter how much pain he was in._

" _Oh, is that so?" He asked, mockingly. "Well maybe I can make you reconsider,'' he said._

_With that, He dragged Finn to his feet, and over to the bucket where Finn had been forced to urinate in. When the man grabbed Finn by the scruff of his neck, a horrific thought crossed Finn's mind. The man seriously wasn't about to waterboard him into his own piss, was he?_

_That was exactly what the man did. He dunked Finn into the urine for minutes on end, and only pulled him up for a few seconds before pushing him back down. Finn would be roughly yanked up, spluttering and gasping, and he wouldn't have enough time to catch his breath before being dunked back in. Eventually, Finn started to lose consciousness, and felt a suffocating feeling rumbling towards him. Try as he might, he couldn't fight it. He started choking and suffocating until everything went black._

"Aaaaah!" Finn cried as he woke up, sweating. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. He was in Lima, not Paraguay. He was safe. He had gotten himself tangled in a cocoon of blankets, and it had triggered that particular nightmare.

Finn dragged himself out of his bed and walked into his 'kitchen'. It wasn't a room, it was just one half of his house that contained the kettle, sink, microwave, fridge and table. Finn made himself a warm cup of tea to help sooth his nerves. The nightmares hadn't ceased for a single night since he arrived - they plagued him without mercy, filling his body with fear, that when finally subsided, left him feeling exhausted.

Finn didn't really sleep for more than two continuous hours a night. He'd get 6 hours of sleep in total per night. He could tell that rather than recovering, Finn was deteriorating. He was getting pulled apart by a combination of the night terrors, loneliness and drinking. The only good thing was that he was finally off drugs completely. He hadn't smoked a joint in almost a month and a half, and he wasn't feeling withdrawal symptoms anymore. But right now, what he was doing wasn't living… he was surviving. And it had to end. Finn eyed the loose floorboard at the corner of the room, where he stored a handgun for self-protection.

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Meanwhile, Santana and George had just met up in New York, the halfway point between Pennsylvania and Toronto. As Finn's two best friends in the world, they had done most of the organisation of Finn's funeral. Sadly, both of them had experience in that area from Carole's area. Throughout the process, the two of them had become pretty close friends, and when Finn announced that he was alive, they knew that it was going to be up to them to find him. They had both worked double shifts for the past two months, and were planning to spend the next 3 weeks looking for him. They were starting in Manhattan, and they were going to plot the various spots in the city where Finn could possibly be. If he was out of the country, which was pretty likely, then they probably weren't going to find him. Ever. The two of them sat in a Starbucks on 7th Avenue, and George rolled out a huge map of the States for them to look at, and pinpoint where Finn could be.

"What about Hawaii?" George asked. "Maybe he got his old job back in that resort."

Santana shook her head.

"I don't think so. I called his old employer, and he said that he hasn't seen Finn in 7 years."

"Okay… what about L.A? Finn knows that city pretty well, and he spent some of his vacation time there with a couple of army buddies."

"I doubt it. L.A's too big. If Finn wants to slowly reintegrate into society, going to the second biggest city in the States isn't something he's going to do. So that also rules out NYC and Chicago." Santana replied.

"And Texas." George added. "Finn hates the way Texans talk. He said it makes them sound uneducated."

Both of them remembered Finn ranting about the way people from Texas spoke, and they both laughed at the memory. They then lapsed into silence as they thought long and hard about where their friend could possibly be. They couldn't give up. Not yet. They knew that Finn would never in a million years give up on them, so they weren't about to give up themselves.

"You know what our problem is?" George piped in, suddenly. Santana shrugged.

"What?" She asked.

"We're thinking too much from our point of view. We need to get into Finn's mindset. What would he do?"

Santana nodded and they thought for a few moments longer. Suddenly, George jumped up.

"Oh my god!" George exclaimed. Santana looked at him, excitedly.

"What? Do you think you know where he is?" She demanded. George nodded.

"Maybe. Do you remember what Finn used to say? The best place to hide is…"

"In plain sight." Santana finished. Suddenly, George thought dawned on her.

"NO! You don't think?!" She shouted. George nodded.

"Maybe." He replied.

"Son of a bitch." Santana spat under her breath, more excited than mad though.

"Come on, let's go! The next train to Ohio in a couple of hours…"

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It was 11 pm, and Finn had completely missed both shifts in MacLaren's. Instead, he sat on his sofa, his gun in his shooting hand, slowly but surely making its way to his chin. His hands were trembling, and his profuse tears were disguised by the beads of sweat that were rolling down his face. As he would lift the gun to his head, he would think to himself 'What the hell am I doing?' and he would put the gun down. Then, he would remember, and the gun would come right back up. Finn had just finished writing a short suicide note that contained just three words - I'm So Sorry. Finn was a man of few words, and he would stay that way until the end. Finn, with a shaking hand, turned off the safety of the gun and cocked it. Suddenly, he was interrupted by someone banging on the door.

"Finn, you there?" He heard Red call from the other side of the door. Finn didn't answer, but he put the gun down.

"Finn, you didn't show up to either shift today, and you didn't text me. That's not like you. Are you okay?"

Finn didn't respond, and Red started to get pretty worried. Over the past two months, Finn had told Red snippets of what had happened to him, and Red was surprised that Finn was not more visibly emotionally distressed. Of course, he didn't know what would happen every night behind closed doors.

"Finn! I know you're in here! And I know you can hear me! Open the door now, or I'm gonna kick it open!"

When Finn didn't oblige, Red stuck to his word and blasted through the door. When he saw Finn with the gun and the tears and the note, he put two and two together and he ran over to Finn.

"FINN! Drop the gun!" He exclaimed. Finn shook his head and gripped it tighter, like it was his lifeline. Well, his deathline.

"No." Finn whispered in reply.

"Finn!" Red warned, and Finn reluctantly turned the safety back on, and put down the gun. As soon as it was out of his hand, his adrenaline level dropped and he realised what he would have just done if Red hadn't come in and stopped him. Finn ran to the tiny bathroom and hurled and retched into the toilet. Once his stomach was 100% empty, and he couldn't throw up anymore, Finn splashed cold, refreshing water on his face, and he walked out to see Red. When Finn walked over to him, Red, who wasn't normally an affectionate man, grabbed Finn and pulled him into a hug.

"Don't you dare ever do that, son!" He whispered firmly into Finn's ear. Finn nodded and let out a sigh of relief. Despite everything, he still wanted to be alive, and didn't want his brains blown all over the floor of his apartment.

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The next day, George and Santana arrived in Lima. It was extremely bittersweet for them as although Lima was where they used to live, neither had been back since Finn died. It felt like all of their good memories of the city had been wiped out by the one, colossal bad one. Now that they knew that Finn was alive, and were on a mission to find him, Lima didn't seem so haunted anymore. They didn't know where Finn would be, but there weren't many places to search in Lima, so it wasn't about to take too long.

They started in McKinley, where they knew that even if Finn wasn't wasn't there, Mr. Schue was and probably could give some hints of where to find him. When they walked through the halls of their old high school, they got chills from all of the flashbacks. The lockers were Santana would make out with Brittany, the field where Finn, George and the football team would train, and most importantly, the choir room. They walked in, and they found Mr. Schue working in his office next door. When he saw them, his face lit up. He always loved seeing his alumni students, and he hadn't seen any of them since Finn's 'death' as none of them wanted to come back to Lima.

"George! Santana! How's it going guys?"

"Cut the crap, mop head!" Santana demanded. "Where's Finn?"

Mr. Schue raised an eyebrow and George quickly stepped in.

"She doesn't mean that in a rude way, Mr. Schue. It's just… we think that Finn might be hiding out in Lima, and we were wondering if you had seen him anywhere."

Of course, Mr. Schue knew that Finn was definitely in Lima, but he wasn't about to tell them that. Instead, he made up an excuse.

"Actually, I did see him in Lima around a month and a half, two months ago. He was picking up some stuff that he left behind when he got deployed: money, photographs of you guys, etc. He stashed them in my apartment right before he left, and he asked me for them when he came. He said something about his flight to France. I don't remember what exactly."

George and Santana sighed, nodded and thanked him for his help. Well, he wasn't much help. Now, for all they knew, Finn was in Paris. The two of them were getting hungry, as it was 4 pm and they hadn't eaten lunch.

"I'm kinda hungry." Santana said. "You wanna go to Breadstix?" She asked.

George shook his head.

"Nah. Can we please go to a bar? I need a drink or two." He said. Santana laughed.

"MacLaren's?" She suggested. George nodded.

"MacLaren's it is." She said, and they set off…

Half an hour later, they were sitting in the corner booth and George was tucking into a divine, tender, juicy burger, and Santana was munching on her chicken salad. Neither of them said much as they ate: they were both thinking about the same thing. Finally, Santana broke the silence.

"Look George, we just need to face the facts. We're not going to find Finn. I love the guy, but I'm not going on some wild goose chase to Paris with absolutely no leads."

George nodded.

"I know, but don't lose hope. He could still be here."

"Oh, grow up, George!" Santana exclaimed, frustratedly. "If Finn doesn't want to be found, he's not going to be found. He was in the fucking army for God's sake. He knows how to be stealthy."

Someone had started singing in the background, but Santana didn't notice it in the midst of her outburst. George did though.

"Santana?" He said quietly.

"What?" She shouted back.

"Why does that singer's voice sound so familiar?" He asked. Santana shut up for a moment and they both listened. It indeed sounded familiar, like they had heard it before, but forgotten where or when.

"You're right." She remarked. "Who the hell is that?"

They both stood up from their seats, and walked around to the other side of the packed bar. When they saw who was sitting on the stage, their mouths dropped. Hidden behind jeans, a hooded-up hoodie and a baseball cap, was the one and only Finn Hudson!


	67. Chapter 67

Finn sat on the stage, just him and his guitar. His five hours of performances every day were by far the highlights of his gloomy existence. It gave him a couple of hours where he could just completely tune out and forget about his troubles. He started plucking his guitar to sing his fourth song of the day.

_My paranoia gettin' worse and my anxiety high_

_Mind got me staying in the eye of the fire_

_Sometimes I don't know if I'ma drown or fly_

_Heart so big I be down to die_

_For all the ones I love, too bad they don't think I really love 'em_

_They don't understand that there just so many of 'em_

_Hustle's got so many of em, everybody pulling at me_

_Can't leave the house without everybody lookin' at me_

_Hm, had a dream last night_

_That my wife was at my wake, with my son, he said "look at daddy"_

_Something got me thinking this might be the end_

_But if it is you gon' wish for a G when I'm gone_

_Drifting away_

_Wave after wave, wave after wave_

_I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)_

_And it feels like I'm drowning_

_Pulling against the stream_

_Pulling against the wave_

Santana and George walked a bit closer and squinted their eyes. Yup, it was definitely Finn, but if they hadn't heard his voice, they would not have recognised him. He had grown a short, scruffy beard, he had both arms completely tattooed. His face was also written in a permanent frown/scowl. Finn noticed two people walking closer to the stage, but he paid no attention to them. A lot of the bar's regulars knew who he was by now, and they often liked to listen to his performances from closer to the stage.

_Drifting away_

_Wave after wave, wave after wave_

_I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)_

_And it feels like I'm drowning_

_Pulling against the stream_

_My face above the water_

_And my feet can't touch the ground_

_Touch the ground, and it feels like_

_I can see the sands on the horizon_

_Every time you are not around_

As George and Santana walked a little bit closer, Finn could glimpse a few of both of their physical features. He had gotten pretty good at this while he was in the Army. He noticed that one of them was male and one was female. The male was around 5'11, and the female was around 5'4. The male was caucasian and the woman appeared to be Latina. Wait! Could that be…?

_I'm slowly drifting away (drifting away)_

_Wave after wave, wave after wave_

_I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)_

_And it feels like I'm drowning_

_Pulling against the stream_

_Pulling against the wave_

_This might be the end_

_But if it is you gon' wish for a G when I'm gone_

_Drifting away (Drifting, drifting away)_

Finn forced himself to remain calm on the outside, but internally, he was FREAKING OUT! How had they found him? He knew that none of them ever came back after Finn's memorial, so it was the perfect hiding spot. Well, not anymore. What was he going to do? Think, Finn, Think!

_I wish I could make it easy_

_Easy to love me, love me_

_But still I reach, to find a way_

_I'm stuck here in between_

_I'm looking for the right words to say_

As Finn approached the final verse, he started to think of an escape plan. George and Santana were standing close to the front door of the bar, so they were covering that exit. There was one more way out though, and Finn didn't dared look that way as he didn't want to draw attention to it. Some of his Army training coming in useful.

_I'm slowly drifting away (drifting away)_

_Wave after wave, wave after wave_

_I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)_

_And it feels like I'm drowning_

_Pulling against the stream_

_Pulling against the…_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

[Mr. Probz - Waves](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a5WyAjL1MM)

At the end of the song, Finn stood up and spoke into the microphone. George and Santana were immediately on alert. They knew that he had probably seen them, and they didn't want him to run, so they were covering the exit.

There was a loud round of applause, cheers and whistles after Finn finished singing. He couldn't help but smile a little. He always craved the rush he got by receiving applause from an audience. It was like a drug to him, and he was addicted. Whether it was in a pub like this, a hotl in Hawaii, or a National stage in L.A, it didn't matter. Finn tore his mind away from that though. He had more pressing matters to deal with.

"Well that concludes my set for today. Thank you very much. You've been a great audience."

With that, Finn grabbed his guitar and sprinted out the bar from the partially hidden back exit. George and Santana, who were taken by surprise, took a few moments to regain their bearings before running after him.

Finn ran out onto the sidewalk of the street. He was easily a lot faster than either of them and his stealth was much better too - you didn't get to be known as the Phantom for nothing. Once he reached the end of the road, he turned around. George and Santana were around 100 metres behind him, and were gaining fast. Groaning in annoyance, Finn started scaling the side of the 5 storey apartment building like he was spiderman. By this point, Santana and George had caught up to him, and were standing at the bottom of the building, confused and worried. Finn was sitting very precariously on the edge railing on one of the 3rd floor apartments' terraces.

"Finn! We know it's you! Get down, or you're gonna get hurt!" Santana shouted from the bottom, nervously looking up at her friend.

"Or arrested!" George added. "You kow, people don't like others scaling their apartment building and sitting on their terrace."

Finn rolled his eyes. They didn't realise that it was his terrace that he was sitting here.

"Look, Finn, we're not going anywhere. And you have to come down eventually."

"Do I?" Finn shouted back, and then walked into the apartment from the terrace door. George and Santana watched him, frightened but amazed. Was he just breaking into someone's house? Finn came back a moment later, an apple in his hand.

"See!" He shouted to them. "I've got food, water, electricity. I can stay here as long as I like. You guys will have to leave before I will."

"Wait, you live here?" George asked, confused. Finn nodded.

"Wow! I didn't re… Finn! Could you please just come down so we can talk!" Santana shouted. Finn sighed and nodded.

"Ok, fine. You want me to jump?" He asked, letting go of what his arms were grabbing, so it was just his feet and core strength dangling him off the building like a bat.

"FINN!" Santana screamed.

"What?" Finn spat back, annoyed.

"You're gonna die!" George shouted. Finn shrugged.

"So what?" He replied. "I'd love to be dead right now."

George and Santana exchanged a worried look. Finn wasn't looking too good from a first impression. Suddenly, Finn completely let go of the ledge, and he went hurtling towards the ground. George and Santana barely had time to react when Finn landed, shoulder rolling to break his fall and then standing up, dusting off his jeans. Santana and George both felt like they had just had a heart attack. They had seen Finn drop around 40 feet, and land like it was nothing. They truly realised how much he had changed in the past little while.

"Come on. Let me buy you a drink." George said. Finn nodded and followed him and Santana back to MacLaren's.

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"You're a vegan?" George exclaimed in disbelief. Finn chuckled and scoffed.

"Seriously? I tell you about how I was tortured for a year and a half, and this is what you focus on?" Finn asked. George laughed, but Santana had started to cry. She had been so wrappd up in what she was feeling, that she hadn't thought about the fact that Finn might have needed her, even if he wanted to push people away.

"San, you okay?" Finn asked. She shook her head.

"No. I'm so sorry. I should've been there for you these past few months."

Finn shook his own head.

"No, I'm glad you weren't. I wasn't in a very good emotional place. I still am not. Every day is a distraction, and every night is another terrifying flashback of what happened during those years. And therapy is literally useless, as nobody alive in the military today has been through what I've been through, so they're just guessing unsuccessfully about what I should do. All they did, besides spew some random, useless crap, was to prescribe some anti-depressant meds."

George and Santana both could only nod. They also had no idea what to do. If a seasoned professional was drawing a blank, then they didn't even stand a chance. Suddenly, George remembered something that Finn had said earlier.

"Um… Finn… I've gotta ask you something, and please be honest."

"Shoot." Finn replied.

"You said earlier that you wished you were dead. You haven't done stupid have you? Like physical self-harm or anything?"

Finn sighed.

"No. Well kinda. Not really. A bit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" George asked, cautiously.

"I mean, I haven't physically self-harmed myself, but I did sorta try to off myself with gun." Finn said, quietly.

"WHAT?!" Santana shouted. "YOU TRIED TO KILL YOURSELF?"

"Oh please… be a bit louder! I feel like the good people of China didn't quite hear you." Finn retorted back.

"When did this happen?" Santana asked, forcing herself to keep her voice calm. At least if it was right after he was discharged, he could've progressed since and not be at risk anymore.

"Well, um… around a month ago. Two weeks after I arrived" Finn said. "I had the gun, but couldn't bring myself to do it."

Santana let out a small sigh of relief.

"Thank god it was a long time ago. But you're feeling better now right?" She asked, concerned. Finn shook his head.

"Um… actually… I kinda, sorta maybe tried again last night." He murmured.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" This time George shouted, receiving a few glares from some of the others around him for his use of crass language.

"Finn, why would you…? Santana asked. " I understand what you're going through, and there might be hard ti…"

"No, you have no fucking idea what I'm going through!" Finn snapped back. "When I was in that prison, I died emotionally. What you see now is just the shrivelled husk of the man I used to be. I lost everything. My personality. My outlook on life. And hence, my girlfriend, my friends, everyone. Believe me when I say this… I have NOTHING to live for. NOTHING! If only I could just off myself so my body could join my dead soul in heaven or hell, wherever it may be."

Both of them were speechless. Finn was right. They truly had no idea what he was going through, and what obstacles he was facing.

"You know we're not going to let you do that, Finn." Santana said softly. "You said that your soul is dead. Maybe that's true, but in that case, wouldn't you be able to build a new soul in the same body. New Finn Hudson, but with the same look. Happier. Funnier. Still a talented musician."

Finn shook his head.

"It's not that easy." He growled. "If I could do that, you don't think I would have tried to do it by now? You think I would have exiled myself from the people I love most in the world? No! I'm too far gone. You can tape back a shattered glass, but it's never going to be the same again. And it's going to break even more easily next time. I'm no different."

"Look, Finn, we're really, really sorry. Nobody should have to go through what you went through. Least of all you. You are like the nicest person in the world."

"Was." Finn interjected through gritted teeth.

"You could come and live with me." George suggested. "I have a place with Liam and Harry. Maybe being with us will slowly help with your recovery."

"Yeah, or you could come and stay with me in Pennsylvania." Santana added. "Philly's actually really nice."

"Thank you guys." Finn said, nodding at them but not smiling. He hadn't genuinely smiled or laughed in the past 2 months. "But I'll pass. I think I'm going to stay here. I've got to face the music now… my life is over. There's nowhere I can go. I can't face the pressures of college in my current state. At least here, I have a steady paycheck and a place to live."

"Oh yeah, speaking of which, could we crash at your place tonight?" George asked. Finn chuckled drily.

"Um… no. Purely because there isn't nearly enough space for three people. I don't have a bed. I don't have a laundry machine. I don't have a chest of drawers. My whole apartment is the size of a walk-on closet. Here, come on, I'll show you it."

They paid and left the bar. Finn then took them back to his apartment, and he showed them the atrocious conditions he lived in.

"Wow… um… you live here?" George asked in astonishment as Finn unlocked the door. The guy wasn't exaggerating when he said that it was no bigger than a walk-in closet. There was barely any furniture, as Finn couldn't afford much. It was dreadful to have to live in, but anything was better than Cell 45, the prison cell Finn was assigned to. George and Santana looked at each other, nervously but confidently at the same time. They were nervous about saying anything wrong and Finn disappearing for good, but at the same time, they knew that they had to do something to help.

Sure enough, by the same time the next day, when Finn walked into his apartment, he found it unlocked, and several men carrying boxes inside. Finn dropped his keys in surprise and immediately tensed up.

"Um… who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?" Finn asked. Suddenly, George and Santana walked over.

"Chill out. They're with us. We know that you weren't about to accept money from anyone, so we bought this random chest of drawers, random armchair and random TV that would be going to waste if you didn't take them."

Finn smiled widely at them. As much as he hated being treated like charity, he desperately needed the stuff. By the end of the night, all of the new furniture had been installed, and Santana and George were getting ready to go back to their respective cities. Well, in George's case, country. Santana gave him a rub-crushing hug as they stood outside her train to Pennsylvania.

"You better write me, Hudson, or I'll hunt you down and kill you. I know where you live."

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I will. I promise." He replied. Santana then looked at him, with hope in her eyes.

"And you won't do anything stupid, or try to, every again?" She asked. Finn closed his eyes.

"Santana, I can't make that promise." He murmured.

"Please, Finn." She begged. Finn sighed.

"Fine, here's the deal. If I ever feel like doing anything I'll regret, I promise to call you first."

Santana nodded. She knew that it would be the best she could get from him. Unfortunately, it was time for her train to depart, so she stepped on, waving at Finn as it started moving. Finn sighed as he started walking away from the station. Now, everyone would soon know where he lived. And if everyone knew, then Bella knew. She had robably most definitely moved on from him at this point, but may well want a final fight. Finn had to gear up for that. It was going to be one bumpy ride.


	68. Chapter 68

Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to month. Finn was fast approaching his 26th birthday and he was absolutely right when he said that his life had no direction. He would bust his ass singing in the bar, earning just over minimum wage, and living in a tiny apartment. Finn was extremely thankful for the few benefits he got as an army veteran: free health insurance, small amounts of money received monthly from Veterans pension, etc.

But it wasn't enough. Despite spending minimal amounts of money, his money slowly drained away. He was often short on cash, and he was hating life just as much as before. In fact, he drew the gun once more the night before, but he passed out before he could pull the trigger. The next morning, Finn took that as a sign that God didn't want him dead yet, as He had plans for Finn. Little did Finn know how right he really was…

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"Hey, Red. My usual, please." He asked the bartender. He was sitting at the same bar after his performance, in the same seat, drinking the same drink. Him and Red had gotten very close over the past couple of months. Finn was like a son to Red. Red even occasionally gave Finn free drinks. The elderly man knew how little money Finn had to his name, and how much he had been through in his short life. He also knew how musically talented Finn was, but it was near impossible for someone from Lima to make it in the entertainment industry, whether it be in sports, music, acting or anything else. Nobody from Lima had made it big to date. However, earlier that day, Red found something that he knew Finn would love to see.

"Sure. Coming right up, Hudson!" He called, and quickly made the drink. Then, as he handed the drink to Finn, he also gave him a brochure that he picked up earlier that day.

"What's this?" Finn asked, confused. Red smiled.

"It's your ticket out of here." He replied. Finn raised an eyebrow and read through the leaflet. It was from the X Factor - the most popular singing competition on the planet. Thousands upon thousands of people applied for the UK competition every year, but for the first time ever in the competition's short history, the U.S were hosting their own version of the contest. The first step to enter the X Factor competition would be to apply with the mobile auditions. All auditions had to be sent in, electronically, to the X Factor's phone number. Finn shook his head.

"No, sorry, can't do it. I sound terrible when recorded." He said. "I don't have a microphone or anything in my flat."

Red rolled his eyes.

"First of all, that's not true. You sing like a fucking god recorded or not. But I knew that you would be stubborn and say that, so there's the alternate option for those wanting to audition."

Another way of entering the X Factor was to audition for one of the show's producers in one of the hundreds of X Factor vans scattered around every state in the country. There were vans even in the most small, irrelevant cities in the U.S. Like Lima for example. Finn sighed.

"I'm not going to do it." He said. Red was shocked.

"I'm sorry, what? Did I just hear correctly and you said you weren't going to do it?"

Finn nodded.

"I don't have a stutter, man. I said I'm not doing it. I mean come on! You watch the competition every year. You see the people who compete. They have proper vocal training. And look at me. Look at my past. I'm not what the competition would want. I don't need someone else telling me that I'm 'not the right material,' or that I'm 'playing for the wrong audience.' Trust me, I would want nothing more than to become a megastar. But I'm not good enough. Simple as that."

Red shook his head. Finn had so much potential, and Red knew that he would do well in the competition, but Finn was his own worst enemy. He had absolutely no self esteem, and that was his downfall. Red was an old man, and probably didn't have long before he left this world, so he genuinely cared about Finn, and was prepared to do anything to help make Finn's dream come true. In his youth, Red wanted to be an actor, but he never pursued his dream, and he regretted it every day. He wasn't about to let Finn do the same thing.

"Look, Finn, you know what I wanted to be when I was younger?" he asked Finn. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know. A bartender?" Finn suggested, feebly. Red rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, sure. It was my dream to pour you drinks." He remarked. Finn laughed. "No, it was my dream to be an actor. But I ignored that dream and became a bartender, and I hate myself for it. You have so much talent, Finn."

Finn shook his head.

"Sorry, I'm not doing it."

Finn took out his wallet to pay his bill, and realised that he was 10 dollars short of what he needed to pay. Finn sighed and looked at Red hopefully. Red laughed.

"Let me guess. You're short."

Finn nodded.

"Please dude, cover me just this once." Finn begged him. Red shook his head.

"You said that last week. And the week before. And the week before that. And the week before that. And the week before that. And the week…"

"OK, I get it." Finn snapped. Suddenly, Red had an idea.

"You know what? I will cover you for the ten bucks, and I'll cover you for every drink you buy for the rest of the week, provided it isn't too expensive."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What's the catch?" He asked, already knowing what Red was about to say.

"You need to audition for the X Factor. There's an X Factor Mobile Audition van in Lima tomorrow. You audition, whether you make it or not, and I'll cover your tab for the next week."

Finn thought for a moment. What did he have to lose? It didn't cost money to audition, and he would save some money on his bar tab. And maybe the producer was feeling generous and put him through. He finally hesitantly nodded.

"OK, fine. I'll do it…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next morning, Finn queued up outside the X Factor van. The line was at least an hour and a half long, and it contains people of all genders, races, sexualities, but all of them looked a lot more qualified than Finn did. Despite the fact that Finn didn't want to audition in the first place, he was still nervous. This audition had the potential to change his life, if a miracle occurred. A lot of the people around him were doing technical warmups, and were standing next to vocal coaches. Finn didn't have any of that. He just had him and his guitar. Finally, after an excruciatingly long wait in the freezing cold February air, Finn made it to the front of the van and was called into the van.

When Finn walked inside, he was greeted by the blissfully cool AC. In the corner of the room was an X Factor producer. Finn walked over and held out his hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you, sir. My name's Finn Hudson." He said.

"Eric Dalton." He replied, shaking his hand. "It says here that you're singing Fallin' by Alicia Keys. Do you need an accompaniment?"

Finn shook his head.

"I'm good, thank you sir. I've got my guitar."

He nodded and sat back in his chair, gesturing to Finn to start. Finn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. He began to sing…

_I keep on fallin´_

_In and out of love_

_With you_

_Sometimes I love ya´ (you)_

_Sometimes I feel blue_

_Sometimes I feel good_

_Sometimes I feel blue_

_But I keep on fallin´_

_Back in Love with you_

_And I keep on falling_

_In and out of love_

_With you_

_I.._

_I never loved someone the way that I_

_Love you_

_I.._

_I never felt this way_

_How do you give me so much pleasure_

_This show me so much pain_

_Oh I.._

_I keep on falling_

_In and out of Love_

_With you_

_I never Loved someone the way that I_

_I love you_

_Ohh, I love you (7x), Oh_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Falling - James Arthur cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jJdo5wA2zA) **

At the end of the song, Finn fell silent. He felt that he had performed his best, no matter if he qualified for the next stage - arena auditions in front of the 4 judges - or not. Mr. Dalton wrote down notes for what seemed like an eternity, but finally, he looked up.

"Um… Mr Hudson. I honestly don't know what to say. That was…"

Oh boy! Here it goes again, Finn thought. What would the word be this time? Awful? Pitiful? Dreadful?

But the word Mr. Schuster used Finn couldn't have predicted in a million years

"Incredible! That was absolutely incredible! You have potential practically bursting out of you. You sing with so much emotion, so much soul, it's like I'm right there with you. And that guitar playing! Wow! I think I might be looking at the next Grammy winner!"

Finn was flabbergasted. This was going better than he could have possibly imagined.

"Yeah, um… I think that there's only one thing to do. Congratulations, Mr Hudson. I'm fast tracking you to Arena Auditions in New York!"

Finn was overwhelmed. He was still partly in disbelief. He had made it to the next stages of the competition. And with the way Mr Dalton was complimenting him, he may actually make it even further than that! He couldn't let it get to his head though. After he had finally gotten over his sudden rush of emotions, he looked at Mr Dalton and replied.

"Thank you so much Mr. Dalton for having faith in me. I swear I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, son. But if you don't mind me asking, what would doing well in this competition mean to you?"

Finn thought for a moment before responding.

"Um… I want it more than anything. I've had a very, very rough past, and you know, singing songs is my life. It's my purpose to do this. I feel like it's why I'm here on this earth, to sing and write songs."

"Well good luck. And congratulations."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

As soon as Finn left the van, he erupted in celebration. He jumped up and down like a maniac. The others who were still in line looked at him like he was crazy, but Finn didn't care. He immediately took out his phone and called Santana. He hadn't told anyone about him auditioning for the competition, as he didn't expect it to go anywhere, but now that he had qualified for the next stages, he decided to call his friends.

"Hello?" Santana said.

"Hey San!" Finn said. Santana was instantly on high alert. Finn said that he would call her if he was ever about to commit suicide, so she just assumed that that was why he was calling.

"Finn, what's going on? Are you okay?"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Chill out, MOM." He remarked, but he couldn't keep the happiness out of his voice, and Santana noticed.

"You sound happy." She commented. Finn laughed.

"I am." He replied. "Have you ever heard of the X Factor?" Finn asked her.

"Yeah, duh." Santana laughed. "It's the biggest singing competition in the world."

"Well, you know how it's coming to the U.S this year?"

There was a short silence before Santana spoke.

"Finn…" She said quietly. "Did you…?"

"Yeah. I did my first audition for one of the producers."

"Well, how did you do?" She asked, excitedly.

"They loved me! I'm through to arena auditions!" He exclaimed, his voice bursting with pride.

Santana almost deafened Finn with her scream of happiness. She knew more than anyone how much Finn had been through, and how much he deserved a breakthrough into the music.

"Congratulations!" You're going to New York?!" She asked in a frenzy. Finn laughed.

"Yeah. I am. And I was wondering if you would be able to come and support me?" He asked, tentatively.

"Yeah, of course I'm coming! FINN! I'm so proud of you! And I can't wait to show you New York!"

"Me too, S, me too." He sighed. "Anyways, I've gotta go. I'm literally still outside the X Factor van."

"I'm so proud of you, Finn. You truly deserve this."

"Thanks, Santana. Love you, bye."

Finn hung up the phone and smiled. It still hadn't truly hit him yet. He was going to perform a song for a crowd of 10,000 people, and four judges. The judges may well send him straight back home, but they also had the potential to change his life forever. Finn walked away from the X Factor mobile van and entered the bar. Red was already there, tending the bar for the evening, and Finn walked straight over to him and gave him a hug. Red was surprised. Finn was NOT the kind of person who ever showed any kind of emotion. Finn often said that the part of him that showed emotion died six years ago when he killed his first person, during his deployment in Afghanistan.

"Thank you, Red. Thank you so much." Finn said, quietly.

"I take it the audition went well." He asked. Finn smiled.

"It went great! They loved me! I'm through to the Arena auditions!"

Red jumped up in joy.

"All right! Way to go, Finn! Free drinks for you this whole weekend! Ladies and Gentlemen…" Red announced. Everyone turned to him.

"For all of you regulars, I'm sure you guys are familiar with this guy." He said, pointing to Finn. "Finn's our entertainer, and he just had an X Factor audition. He's through to the arena audition stage of the competition!"

The whole bar cheered. Most of the people in the bar were regulars who lived in Lima (not many people came to Lima for any other reason) so they knew who Finn was. They were all so happy for him. They had watched as over the past three months, he played dirt-cheap gigs in the bar, and they knew that was probably the only person in Lima's history who had the potential to make it big in the entertainment industry. He just needed a way in, and maybe, just maybe, the X Factor could be that way.


	69. Chapter 69

Bella tried so hard to drag her life back to normality. Finn wasn't her whole life, she told herself. She forced herself to go on a couple of dates, but none of them were very good at all. In fact, most of them wanted to sleep with her on the first date, so she immediately sent them packing. Every date she went on just reminded her of what she had lost with Finn, so she ended up swearing off boys for a while, solely focusing on her career. She had just finished dentistry school, and was working in a children's dental clinic in Brooklyn. She loved her job, but she knew that there was something missing deep down. She needed a boyfriend. No, she needed Finn.

Bella walked into her bedroom and opened a drawer in her chest of drawers. It was her sock drawer. Digging deep, deep into it, she managed to find and pull out a small box. Bringing it back to her bed, she opened it and began to look through the contents…

Firstly, Bella picked up a couple of photos. They were all of her and Finn - one was before the prom, one was of them in 6 Flags during Senior Ditch Day, and the rest were just various times during senior years. A tear slipped down Bella's face as she reminisced all of the memories she and Finn shared. She truly loved him. She still did. She was not yet over him. So many times she wanted to go see him, but she couldn't bring herself to do so.

"You miss him, don't you?" Quinn asked from the doorway. Bella's head snapped up, and she locked eyes with the blonde. Bella sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I do." Bella replied, quietly. Quinn's eyes filled with pity.

"Bella, what you're doing, looking at old photos and stuff, that's emotional self abuse. You're not helping yourself by doing that."

"I have to, Quinn. I love him. And the fact that I can't see him… that kills me."

Quinn thought for a moment. She was about to break a vow that she made to Santana. The Latina had told her where Finn was living, but made sure to make Quinn promise that she wouldn't tell Bella. Quinn was about to violate Santana's trust, but it was for the greater good.

"Bella… know where Finn lives, but if I tell you, you have to promise me that you'll be careful."

Bella looked up at Quinn.

"Q, I…"

"Promise me, Bella! Promise me you'll be careful!" Quinn exclaimed urgently.

"Quinn, I know Finn's in Lima!" Bella blurted out. Quinn's jaw dropped.

"You… you do? How?" Quinn asked, flabbergasted. "Did Santana tell you?"

Bella shook her head.

"She didn't need to." Bella replied. "I just had to read the letter. I think you all forgot that I know Finn better than he knows himself. I knew that he was going to go to the last place any of us would check, but at the same time, somewhere that he was somewhat familiar with. Lima was by far is best option."

Quinn slowly nodded in understanding.

"Well, did you go see him?" She asked. Bella shook her head and Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" She asked.

"It's like you said, Quinn. Finn's gone, and the sooner I accept that, the better."

Bella got up and walked out of the room. Once she was gone, Quinn put her head in her hands and thought. Where were they going to stop being stupid and scared and finally find their way back together?

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

It was finally the big day of Finn's audition and to say that he was nervous was an understatement. He woke up at 5 am that morning and couldn't find sleep again, so he decided to go on a 8 mile run to clear his head. As he ran, he admired the breath-taking New York Skyline. He spied the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Chrysler Building in the distance.

Once he successfully tired himself out, his stomach started growling from hunger. To his delight, there was an H&H bagels at the corner of the street, so Finn stopped inside and bought himself an everything bagel, which was delicious. Much better than the crap they got in Lima. However, practically everything was better Lima. As Finn chomped into his breakfast, he pondered about what he was about to do later that day. There were two possible outcomes to what he was about to do… the first was that the judges would hate him and he would embarrass himself, to the entertainment of millions all over the world. Not a great outcome, Finn thought. The second was miles better… he would do well, advance to bootcamp, and possibly kickstart a music career that he desperately wanted all his life.

Finally, at 1 pm, Finn made his way to Time Square, his guitar case in his hand. Him, Santana and George had agreed to meet there at 1:15, and from there, they were going to walk to Madison Square Garden, where the auditions were taking place. Madison Square Garden! Finn couldn't believe it! He was about to play in the biggest, most famous venue in the country, in front of a crowd of around 10,000 people. When Finn arrived at Time Square, his mouth dropped…

Standing there were Santana, George, Liam, Harry, Brittany, Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, Quinn, Puck, Sam, Mike, Artie, Tina and Mr. Schue. Basically the whole Glee club but Bella,and he was glad she wasn't there. The last thing he needed to be was distracted. Finn walked over to them.

"Hey guys! What are you doing here?!" Finn exclaimed.

"Well we heard that you were performing, and that you've had a rough couple of months, so we wanted to come and support you." Artie said. Finn smiled widely at them.

"Wow, I can't believe you guys came all the way here for me! I don't know what to say… thank you so much."

"It was our pleasure." Tina said. "And besides, you're about to become the only person in New Directions who's famous, and we weren't about to miss that."

"Hey, I'm famous!" Rachel exclaimed, indignantly.

"You spent one summer as an extra in a Broadway play. You're not famous, Rach." Mercedes said and everyone laughed and Rachel blushed. They all began walking to Madison Square Garden, and they caught up with Finn while they walked.

"How are you guys? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!" He remarked.

"Well yeah, it has been a while. Some of us haven't seen you in 7 years. We all live in different places, you weren't at the 5 year reunion, and you're not exactly an easy guy to get in touch with."

Finn laughed and nodded.

"That is true." He remarked. Finally, they arrived at the infamous Madison Square Garden, and Finn was briefly whisked away to sign in with the producers and give a quick interview for the show with Dermott O' Leary - the host. Finn shook hands with him.

"Hey, what's your name?" Dermott asked, knowing full well what Finn's name was, but asking anyways for the benefit of his audition video, which would be uploaded to Youtube later that day.

"I'm Finn Hudson." Finn replied.

"And how old are you?"

"I am 25 years old."

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from a really small town in Ohio. I live in an apartment. It's not the Ritz, more like a large walk-in cupboard."

"And do you have family here?" Dermott asked. Finn shook his head.

"No family, but a lot of friends."

Dermott nodded.

"Well, is there anything you would like us to know about you? Maybe about your past, what you do for a living, etc."

"Um… so I was born and raised in Canada by my biological mom. My parents both died when I was 7, and I ran away from home and was homeless for 8 years. After those long, harsh 8 years, I was taken into foster care, and a couple of months later, was adopted by my adopted mom. We moved from Toronto to Ohio when I was 16, but then when I was 17, my mom was murdered."

Dermott's mouth dropped.

"Wait, what? Did you say murdered?" He asked, shocked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, a mugging gone wrong. Her passing away was particularly hard on me, as she didn't want, nor deserve to die. My birth mom chose to kill herself, and my dad… I don't even know where my dad is. He could be dead for all I know. Anyways, once my mom had died, I was going to have to be put in foster care once again, but I didn't want to do that, so I ran away. I found shelter in Hawaii."

"Hawaii?" Dermott interjected, astonished. Finn nodded and Dermott's jaw dropped. "Wow… um… this is certainly a unique story."

Finn laughed.

"There's more." he said. "When I was in Hawaii, I got a job working in one of the major resorts as a singer. I stayed there for 4 months before moving back to Ohio to complete my final year of high school. Then, I enlisted in the Army."

"Really? The Army?" Dermott asked. Now, he was slightly suspicious that the story was B.S. Finn nodded. "You know, I'm starting to not believe this story's real."

Finn raised an eyebrow, and took a necklace with his military dog tag on it out of his shirt.

"I swear, I'm not lying. Here's my dog tag that I got from them. And by the way, if you don't believe me now, there's no way you're gonna believe what happens next."

"What happens?" Dermott was now pretty excited to hear the next part of this story.

"I served for 2 years with the Special Operations unit of the Army - the Green Berets - before I was transferred to the most elite unit in the whole U.S military, possibly in any military in the world… Delta Force."

"I'm really sorry to interject, but you were in Delta Force? This is started to sound a bit like some fairytale now."

Finn laughed.

"I swear I'm not lying." He said. "Every word of what I'm saying is true. I even have proof. So anyways, in Delta Force, I served for another two years, and then, on a mission in Paraguay, I got ambushed and taken by some Paraguayan cartel members."

By this point, Dermott knew better than to doubt the man's story. He could tell from Finn's tone that every word he was saying was true.

"I was a prisoner of war, in the custody of these Paraguayan thugs. They tortured me for information for a month and a half, trying to find out who I was, what government I worked for, etc. When I didn't tell them anything in a month of heavy torture, they relaised that I probably wasn't going to tell them anything. But they obviously weren't going to release me. Instead, they transferred me to the most dangerous prison in Paraguay, which was run by Cartel mobsters."

"Wait a second!" Dermott exclaimed. "You're telling me that you went to prison?"

"Si, senor." Finn replied. "But not for a crime. They just wanted the other inmates, many of whom were in the cartel that I was captured by, to rough me up, stab me and stuff, giving me an incentive to tell them what I knew."

"Oh my god! That's horrible!" Dermott cried. Finn chuckled.

"You're telling me, man. Anyways, I had to sleep with an eye open every night, and was there for a year and a half before I managed to escape. I managed to escape into the Paragauyan forest, and I started trekking towards a U.S Naval Base that I knew was off the coast of Brazil. It was around a 1500 km trek, and it took me around two months because I was injured, had to spend time hunting for meals without a gun, and had to drink contaminated, dirty water. I collapsed and my heart stopped beating a few kilometres out from the U.S Naval Base. God helped me at this point. A couple of the troops found me and rushed me to the base's medical wing. I was resuscitated and healed and flown back to the States after almost two years in custody."

Dermott was flabbergasted at this man's story.

"So, are you okay now? Like health wise?"

Finn shrugged.

"Kind of, I guess. Physically, I'm just as strong as I was before, but my mental health has gone to shit. Obviously, due to some traumatic experiences in my past, I had depression and anxiety disorders, and the time as a POW only made it worse. The day before I auditioned for the X Factor, I actually tried to, you know…"

Finn made a gesture to indicate suicide, and Dermott's jaw dropped. This man had clearly had a very, full life, but nothing in what he said during his backstory indicated anything to do with music.

"Wow… um… I'm really sorry. That's really rough. Just one more thing before we can let you go inside, nowhere in your backstory did you mention any musical experience. When did you start singing, and I guess playing guitar?" He said, pointing to the guitar in Finn's hand.

"Um… I started singing when I was about 5. When I was 7, and I was homeless, singing was a good way to pass the time that I used to spend in school, so I got pretty good at it. Same thing with guitar. When I was around 10, 3 years into living on the streets, I actually started busking on the streets for extra money. And then, when I was adopted by my mom, I went back to school, and I learnt how to play the piano. Also, when I ran away to Hawaii, like I said before, I worked as a singer for the hotel. Oh yeah… also, during junior and senior year, I was in my high school's Show Choir and we won National Championships."

Dermott nodded.

"Ok, thank you so much for having a word with us. Good luck with your audition. If you get through, I'll have another quick interview with you after."

Finn smiled nervously.

"Thank you." Finn replied. Finn and all of his friends were led inside the building, which was bustling with noise and energy, but mostly… nerves. When Finn was brought to the waiting area, he could practically cut the tension with a knife.

Eventually, Finn and his entourage were brought backstage, as Finn was up next. Finn's friends were told to wait in a certain area, but Finn was brought all the way backstage, so close that he could see the current performer from his vantage point. He listened to her quick interaction with the judges.

Her name was Zoe Alexander, and she worked as a P!nk Tribute Act for a living. She looked a lot like Pink too, to be honest. She started singing, and Finn immediately got the impression that she wasn't very good. She started by singing So What, by P!nk. Not the greatest song choice for an X Factor audition. Around 30 seconds into the song, Gary Barlow, the head judge and member of the extremely popular pop group Take That, raised his hand and the music stopped. Finn gasped to himself. If she was getting interrupted in the middle of the song, that was certainly not good news for her. Intrigued, Finn listened in to what the 4 judges were telling her.

"Okay, um…" Tulisa, another of the 4 judges, and a professional singer song-writer said. Finn was actually going to be singing one of Tulisa's songs during his audition next. A little pandering never hurt anyone, right? "I actually quite liked your image when you came out. And when you told me about P!nk, I realised that you've clearly based your performance on her."

"No, I didn't base it on P!nk." Zoe cut in, arguing with the judge. She clearly had a temper. Finn watched eagerly as the next bit unfolded.

"Oh, you didn't?" Tulisa asked, surprised.

"No, I'm trying to get away from the P!nk thing." She said.

"Ok, the problem is that you came out saying that you wanted to find your own identity, but then it was very confusing for me, because your audition was like watching a P!nk tribute act."

"Should we get a second song?" Louis Walsh - massive boyband manager and 3rd judge of the competition - asked.

"Yeah." Gary said, decisively. "Zoe, I want to give you a chance because you kind of blew it on that. Can you be yourself, not P!nk?" He asked. Zoe nodded.

"Yeah." She replied.

"Then off you go." He said. "What are you going to sing, Zoe?"

"Emile Sande's, Next to Me." She declared. The music started, and once again, she blew it. This time she didn't sound like a P!nk tribute act, she just sounded like a bad singer. The judges stopped her once again, this time around 15 seconds into the song.

"Ok, thank you Zoe." Gary said. "Um… Nicole?" He asked the fourth judge - multi-platinum award winning superstar from the girl band Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger - for her feedback. Out of the four judges, Nicole was by far the nicest judge, and was in fact, out of the four of them, the only American.

"Hi, Zoe." Nicole said, kindly. "I really like your energy up there. I think you have a pretty good voice. I honestly think that you need to go away and take the time to find yourself as an artist. Who you are."

"Yeah, Zoe, I'm also confused about the identity issue." Gary said. "You came out saying you wanted an identity, then you sang a P!nk song. I thought that the second song was much better, um… but I do think, like Nicole said, you need to go away and really find what sounds right for your voice. Because at the moment, it just sounds like just the average kind of singing voice."

"Yeah, Zoe, it's a pity because you've got a great look. You absolutely look like a pop star." Louis said. "But the vocals were just very, very average. I think, with time, you could be fantastic, but I think you need to go and find yourself and come back as Zoe, not a P!nk tribute artist."

Zoe was getting increasingly worked up about the judges' feedback, and Finn could tell that she was holding back a few insults.

"So, let's vote." Louis said. "Gary?"

"Zoe, I'm afraid it's a no from me." He said. "Nicole?"

"I'm sorry, it's a no today. Tulisa?"

"Sorry, it's a no for now."

With that, Zoe had officially been eliminated from the competition. Finally, she snapped and began to talk back to them.

"You told me to sing a P!nk song!" She exclaimed, angrily to them. That was definitely false. Finn knew, from his own experience, that there were no restrictions or limits on what contestants could sing. The audience gasped at Zoe's sudden outburst, but the judges remained calm.

"We never told you to sing a P!nk song." Tulisa said, calmly.

"I didn't want to sing a P!nk song!" Zoe continued. "I wanted to be ME! You guys told me to sing a P!nk song!" She shouted, rudely at them.

"Woah, woah, woah." Tulisa said, annoyed at the belligerent contestant. "We also gave you a second song. And we never told you to sing a P!nk song. Did you hear that come out of any of our mouths."

"Zoe, it was your audition, and you messed up." Louis said. "I'm sorry."

Zoe stomped her foot on the ground and stormed off stage. The judges grumbled about her once she was off stage. Suddenly, someone pushed past Finn and walked towards Zoe, who was angrily standing backstage. It was her dad. Much to the judges' surprise and horror, the man walked Zoe back on stage, presumably to apologise. A look of fear flitted on all four judges' faces, especially as she approached the judges' table.

"No, baby no!" Nicole said, standing up and gesturing at them to stay back.

"Stay on the stage." Gary demanded. Zoe's dad looked at his daughter, expecting her to apologise, but instead, she did something nobody expected. She started swearing her head off, screaming at the four judges who, in this case, were absolutely in the right.

"That took me all fucking month to prepare for!" She bellowed, coming closer to the judges.

"Stay on the stage." Tulisa demanded.

"You bitch!" She screamed, and the 10,000 members of the audience gasped, but Zoe wasn't done yet. "You cunt! You're all cunts! Fuck all of you!" She screamed, storming back offstage. Suddenly, she threw her microphone at the people who were gathered backstage, one of whom was the tall, male, brunette contestant who was next to come on. Before Finn could react, the microphone hit him square in the jaw.

The projectile was thrown so hard that Finn groaned in pain, and felt himself swallow a tooth. Crap! That wasn't good, especially not before the biggest audition of his life! Luckily, the tooth was a molar, so wouldn't affect his performance too much, but he couldn't be sure. Little did he know that his face was also bleeding. The producers gave him a tissue to dab his face with, and he realised that there was quite a bit of blood dripping out of his cheek.

Meanwhile, back on the stage, Gary had just received word about what happened.

"Wow." He said. "Things are really kicking off backstage. Apparently, she just shoved over a cameraman and threw her microphone at a contestant's face."

"Inappropriate!" Nicole exclaimed.

"I tried to help her!" Louis said. "We gave her a second song. She got the same chance everyone else gets."

"Anyways…" Gary said, reading his phone. "The contestant after is going to be a couple of minutes. He's having his face bandaged up."

"Oh, poor thing." Nicole said, sympathetically. She knew how stressful auditions were for every contestant, and having that kind of ordeal happen right before an audition couldn't help their nerves. Eventually, Finn was finished getting cleaned up by the medic, and he walked on stage, to the cheering of the audience.


	70. Chapter 70

He was quite nervous, especially after what just happened to his face. His hands even trembled slightly. This coming from the man who had a dead-steady hand that made kilometers away sniper shots in Afghanistan. The crowd and judges all immediately noticed the large bandage at the side of his face.

"Hello." Finn said into the mic.

"Hey, there. What's your name?" Nicole asked.

"My name's Finn Hudson." He said.

"And where are you from, Finn Hudson?" She asked.

"I'm from Ohio." He replied. A few members of the audience, presumably those from Ohio themselves, cheered.

"And how old are you?"

"25."

"Do you have anyone with you here today? Your mom, dad?"

"Um… unfortunately none of my family is alive today, but I do have a lot of my friends with me. Yeah, um… I'm dedicating this performance to my adopted mom, who unfortunately isn't with us any longer." He said. "She's always believed with me, and I want to do her proud."

"Oh, wow, well I'm sure she's watching down on you right now." Nicole said. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm actually unemployed right now, but I spent the past 7 years serving in the U.S Army."

The audience cheered and clapped their appreciation for his service.

"Well, as a proud American, I thank you for your service. Um… if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your face?" She asked, and Finn chuckled.

"That contestant who came before me, the P!nk tribute artist threw her mic after he left the stage, and I happened to be in the way as I was waiting to go on stage."

"Ouch, that's gotta have hurt." Nicole laughed.

"Again, I did spend 7 years fighting in the military. That wasn't really flower-picking. Yeah, it didn't hurt, but what I'm worried about is that she actually knocked out one of my teeth, so I'm nervous that it'll negatively affect my performance. You know, this could potentially be my lucky break, and I want it to go as well as possible."

The audience let their sympathy be known, and the judges felt just as bad.

"I'm so sorry. I wish there was something we could do. But unfortunately, we can delay your performance, as you're the last act of the day, and actually are the last act before bootcamp. So, what are you going to sing for us today?"

"I'm actually going to sing Tulisa's song, Young, but it's my own acoustic version of it."

As Finn really quickly tuned his guitar, Gary Barlow turned to Tulisa, who was sitting next to him.

"Have you ever heard anyone do one yet?" Barlow asked. Tulisa shook her head.

"No, I haven't heard anyone else do one yet. Hopefully he'll be good." She replied.

"Yeah, I've got a good feeling about this guy." Nicole added. Then, Finn forced down any last nerves. This was quite possibly the most nervous he had ever been in his life, and he spent 7 years in the most dangerous parts of the world, with a high chance of getting killed each day. Taking a deep breath, Finn started strumming his guitar.

_Oo-ooo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_We're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

The first impression that the four judges had was that this gentleman before them had an incredible voice, with more soul to it than anyone they had seen before.

_Oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

_I've made a lot of mistakes in my past_

_But I refuse to live there, nah_

_I saw a lot of hearts break in the past_

_But I refuse to go there, agh_

_It hurts too much, I'm looking for a crutch_

_I'm looking for just any girl, just for a touch_

_I let myself go, I let my angst out_

_And when I let myself down I just swag it out_

_Uh, uh, baby girl I'd like to dance_

_Uh! But I'm just looking for a brief romance_

_What's wrong with that? I´m young, forgive me_

_I live fast, die a legend, Whitney_

"He could rap too? This man had everything!" Nicole thought to herself. She could be looking at the next winner of the X Factor, as messy, scruffy and destitute as he looked.

_Oh, oh we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_Uh, yeah_

_And if I die, would you try, would you walk on by_

_I bet the latter, sometimes it feels like nothing really matters_

_It's okay though, I drive one hundred on the straight roads_

_Back to hell again, it feels like something heaven sent_

_Something not important, and it somehow got a boy_

_Said it was atomic, and I just realised what it all meant_

_Amen, and you can bring the chorus in._

_Amen, oo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_Coz we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young_

Finn sang the final chorus with such passion and emotion that it practically shook the whole room. The crowd were on their feet, cheering and clapping for him. And if friends, who were backstage, were crying and cheering hysterically.

_Oh we're young, we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us, forgive us, forgive us, forgive us_

_Oh no, oh no, oh, no_

_Oh we're young, oh we're young._

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[James Arthur - Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgVXyV__FgE) **

For the first time that day, all four judges stood up and gave an act a standing ovation. Finn was so overwhelmed. A flood of emotion cascaded over him like a tsunami wave. Finn wiped a tear from his normally stoic face as the audience cheered and applauded long after he finished playing. It took around 2 whole minutes for them to quiet down. Finn was surprised at how positive the crowd's reaction was to his performance. Maybe he had done OK, Finn thought. Maybe, with some luck, he could've actually made it to the next round. Finally, the judges began to give their feedback, and it was the polar-opposite to Zoe's.

"Wow, Finn…" Tulisa said. "When you're up there, I just see you get lost in that world, and it's just you, the microphone, the guitar. Best audition of the day for sure."

Finn smiled. That was very positive feedback, and a very good sign. However, it was Tulisa's song that he covered, so maybe the others wouldn't be as lenient.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." He replied. Gary Barlow was next to give his feedback.

"Ok, Finn… we sit here all day and we watch lots and lots of people stand on that stage. For 99% of them, I sit there and go 'we need to change this, we need to do that.' If anyone dares touch what you do, cause it's so good… You should be very proud today. That was a fantastic audition. Well done."

Finn's smile grew steadily, and his friends watched from backstage with bated breath. Surely, with such a positive reaction, Finn had made it to the next round. Louis was next to give his thoughts on Finn's performance.

"Finn, you're real, original, and I think from today on, your life is totally going to change."

Finn's heart was pounding. Surely he had gotten the three votes he needed! Finally, Nicole gave her feedback.

"Finn! I came on this show and people asked me 'why did I come on this show?' I told them that I'm looking for an artist to inspire me. And that's exactly what you did today. And that's because you stood on that stage, and you bared your soul to us."

"Thank you so much. It means everything to me. It means the absolute world to me." Finn said into the mic. Now, there was one order of business left… the voting.

"OK, let's go to a vote." Nicole said. "Gary?"

"Finn… it's a yes from me."

Finn smiled widely. 1/1 so far. Two more. Just two more and he would make it to bootcamp.

"It is a MASSIVE yes from me." Tulisa said.

"Finn, this is just the beginning for you. It's a yes from me." Louis said. Finn couldn't believe it. He was through to Bootcamp! Now he just hoped for that final yes, as a confident booster.

"Finn! Rightfully so, you have 4 yesses!"

"Thank you so much!" Finn exclaimed, waving and walking off the stage. He couldn't believe it. A sobbing Santana immediately flew into his arms. She was deliriously happy for her friend. He was chasing his dreams, and he was one step closer to making it a reality. Finn was hugged by literally every one of his friends, and Mr. Schue was also crying happy tears.

"I'm so proud of you!" Santana cried. "I told you that you were amazing!"

Once Finn was off stage, Tulisa turned to the other judges.

"My song's an Ibiza dance track," She said. "And he's turned it into that!"

"That was brilliant." Nicole said, still awestruck. "I want to write a song just to see what he does with it."

Once Finn stepped out of the backstage area, he was approached by Dermott again.

"So, how do you feel right now?" He asked.

"I'm just overwhelmed right now. I'm unbelievably overwhelmed. I can't tell you how great it feels. You know, I've had dreams about getting on that stage and it going really well, and it went better than those dreams."

"As you were performing, we spoke to the producer who auditioned you, and he said that you also did an acoustic guitar number. Is that like your main style of performing?"

"Yeah, I am inseparable from my guitar. I've had it for more than 15 years now. Playing my guitar while singing is how I feel most comfortable, but I don't have a problem owning the stage without it. In fact, if I make it to the second day of bootcamp, I'm going to not be playing my guitar. I'll be reaching out of my comfort zone and be singing an original piano ballad I wrote myself. But yeah, my guitar is where I mostly live."

"Speaking of bootcamp, what preparation are you going to do for it?" He asked. Bootcamp was known to be the most stressful part of the X Factor process. The acts were cut down from over 200 to just 24 in a grueling 72 hours of performing.

"For bootcamp, I don't think my preparation is going to be much different to how I prepared for this audition, as it seemed to work, I think. Just going to practise a lot, but not so much that it sounds like I'm bored whilst singing. And I'm going to hit the gym - keep the stamina up."

"Who would you like to mentor you in the competition, should you make it the Judge's house round?"

Finn thought for a moment, but couldn't make up his mind.

"Honestly, if I make it that far, I couldn't care less who's mentoring me. All four of the judges are damn qualified at what they do, and they all have different strengths. Obviously Gary and Nicole both hold that song-writing prowess, but it's Tulisa that writes the kind of music I'm into, but it's Louis who has the most experience at the job, as he's been there from the very beginning. I couldn't choose."

"What would it mean to make it through to live shows?" Dermott asked.

"To get through to the live stages and to be broadcasted worldwide in front of people and do what I do would… make my life complete. That's the best way I can describe it."

"Well, thank you Finn. And I look forward to seeing you again for bootcamp in a couple of weeks."

Finn smiled at him and left the building officially in the running to be the next X Factor champion…


	71. Chapter 71

Finn spent the next few weeks on cloud 9. His audition video went viral on youtube, earning 5 million views within the first week of being uploaded. He was now relatively famous - everyone in Lima knew his name now, and anyone who watched the X Factor knew him too. Finn had been dubbed the 'Dark Horse' of the competition - he didn't have the experience or technical skill that some of the other competitors had, but he was able to make up for it in other ways.

Bootcamp started in two days' time, and Finn and Red were sitting in the booth of the dirty, grungy bar, looking at which auditions showed the most potential to win the competition, and would be Finn's biggest competition. A lot of the candidates were, without a doubt, good, but not many of them were world-class. Suddenly, an audition video caught Finn's eye. It was the audition of a girl called Ella Henderson. Finn recognised her name as he remembered reading about her in the paper as one of the favourites to win the whole competition. He pressed play on the video, and him and Red sat back and watched the introduction, and then the audition…

" _I'm Ella Henderson, I'm 21 years old and I'm from New York City. Today I'm going to be singing a song I've written myself. I've been writing my own songs since the age of 13. My grandfather Jerry was the reason why I'm into singing. I used to sing to him all the time. I used to put on little shows for him in the living room all the time. It's just something that really made me happy and put a smile on my face. The song I'm singing is a personal song to me because it's a way of me saying goodbye to my granddad."_

Red paused the video.

"Well her story sounds promising. Is she that good a singer?" He asked.

"Watch for yourself." Finn said, nudging the ipad.

" _It's really nerve wracking knowing that I'm singing my own song." Ella continued. "It's like putting your diary out to the world. It's really scary, but my granddad always told me don't let anybody stand in your way, and if you want to sing, don't let anybody stop you." She said, and then walked on stage. After a quick introduction with the judges, Ella began to sing her song. There was a faint piano accompaniment backing her up._

_You think you're missed,_

_Well let me tell you this,_

_The love I felt for you,_

_Has flown away_

_And now you see,_

_What you've done to me_

_So all I can ask is why, why_

_You made us feel like one,_

_I should've known that you were wrong._

_Oh yeah, you did it on your own,_

_Now you got to go,_

_Oh no, I won't let you get me down,_

_You tried to hurt my feelings,_

_You stopped me dreaming,_

_But here I draw the line,_

_I wish you luck in life and goodbye_

_You let me think,_

_That you were so so true_

_Lows, lies, truth cannot lie_

_You wanted to go,_

_From a high straight down to a low_

_But all excuses here,_

_The reasons, they're, they're everywhere_

_Chasing rainbows can be fun_

_Been chasing you for so long_

_Oh yeah, you did it on your own,_

_Now you got to go,_

_Oh no, I won't let you get me down,_

_You tried to hurt my feelings,_

_You stopped me dreaming,_

_But here I draw the line,_

_I wish you luck in life and goodbye_

_Oh_

_Ooh_

**To listen to the actual song, click:**

[Ella Henderson - Missed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA5Z39aB8PI)

Ella, of course, got 4 yesses and got praised extremely highly by the judges.

"Jesus christ." Finn said, putting his head in his hands. "If I had to put my money on any of the people we've seen so far, I'd bet on her."

Red shrugged.

"Nah, I'd bet on you any day."

Finn shook his head.

"Well then you're going to lose your money. I can't compete with that. She's clearly had a lot of vocal training. What about me? I'm just an ex-homeless orphan with a guitar and a suicide wish.."

Red glared at him.

"First of all, you're not committing suicide. None of us are going to let you. And second, stop fucking selling yourself short. You're amazing Finn. And if you don't believe me, believe the judges that all voted yes."

Finn shrugged.

"I don't know, dude. All I know is that I need to do something unique to win over to the judges…"

The next night, Finn took the train to New York for the next round of the X Factor. The X competition would be putting them up in 3 star hotels during the three days of bootcamp. When Finn arrived in the Big Apple, he took a cab to the hotel where the contestants would be staying. That night, the judges would be watching back all of the audition tapes and would be cutting 60 acts from the 210 straight away. To keep the acts' minds off the harsh decision that was being made, the X Factor threw them a huge party at the lobby of the hotel.

When Finn walked in, he was flabbergasted. He had grown up in really poor conditions - even when his parents were still alive - so he had never been to a party like this. The closest he had ever gotten was in the basement of one of his football mates' house, and there was no comparison. There was a huge dance floor, where at least 50 of them were shaking what their momma gave them, there was a bar, and there were high tables too. As Finn was walking into the jam-packed party, someone bumped into him and began to fall. He turned and caught them before they hit the ground.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked. The person looked at him, and he realised who it was. It was Ella, the girl with the incredible first audition.

"Oh my god! You're Ella Henderson!" He exclaimed.

"And you're Finn Hudson. Your audition was so good! It was so emotional!"

"Yeah, your audition was amazing too! I literally cried when I watched it. And it's hard to make a guy who's been through the military cry."

She laughed, thinking that he was joking.

"Haha, very funny."

"No, I'm serious!" He said. "And I cried, partly because it was emotional, and partly because it basically showed me the standard of the competition. I stand no chance against people like you."

She shook her head.

"You were literally my favourite audition! It was so powerful! It was like I could feel the pain you were feeling."

Finn smiled.

"Thanks. It means a lot. And hopefully, we both make it through. It would be great to see you again, or better yet, sing with you."

Ella nodded.

"Yeah, it would be great!"

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Meanwhile, back in the X Factor studio, the 4 judges were painstakingly going through every single audition and cutting 60 people from the competition.

"We've got 72 hours of bootcamp. It's not long." Gary said. "Anyone, at this point, we don't feel is going to cut it, we should send them home."

"Let's do it." Louis said.

"We've gotta be brutal." Nicole said, and they began mercilessly hacking away at the auditions.

"Talent this year is quite incredible." Louis commented, as they watched what must have been the 20th act. Everyone nodded.

"Yeah." Gary replied. "But who really were the best? Those are the ones who should go through."

"These guys were good, these guys were good." Tulisa said, holding up two cards that were two of the many boy bands in the competition. The other judges agreed.

"Yeah, I'd like to see them again." Louis said.

"He's my favourite. Hands down. Flat out." Nicole said, holding up one of the cards that was a young man. Tulisa raised an eyebrow.

"Really? More than her?" Tulisa replied, holding up a different card. Nicole nodded.

"Don't get me wrong, they're both incredible. But this guy, he's so raw. He doesn't have the years of vocal coaching that kill the rawness of his tone, and it works in his favour."

"Yeah, so he's definitely good. But the problem is, thinking ahead to the live shows, the competition goes from a singing contest to a popularity contest. With his past, will he really get the votes? The competition has never had someone like him before. And he's also got anxiety and depression mental health issues that can take over in a heartbeat when live shows start." Gary said, putting the card in the pile. They kept soldiering on.

"I mean this guy's not trying too hard. I like that." Louis said, holding up a different card. They nodded, and another audition came up on screen. Gary absolutely HATED this guy! He couldn't sing!

"Oh come on Gary! He's fun!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Yeah, and he's very ibiza." Tulisa added. Gary and Louis shook their heads.

"No, you're both wrong, ladies." Louis said, but begrudging put the card on the 'through' pile as 2/4 of the judges liked him.

**Bootcamp - Day 2…**

The next morning, at 9 am precisely, Finn stood in the same arena he had auditioned in, among the countless acts who were awaiting their fate. They knew that the judges had made a large cut, and that many of them would be out right then and there. Suddenly, the arena doors swung open and the 4 judges walked inside. Tension was palpable at this point. The four judges took microphones and began to speak to the contestants. Tulisa spoke first.

"Congratulations on getting through to bootcamp. Now, this is gonna be the toughest 72 hours of your lives."

Finn laughed to himself. He thought about all the times he had nearly died in the military.

"Yeah, I doubt that. Bring it on, guys." He said silently to himself. Nicole was the next to speak.

"We've only got 3 days to choose who's going to make it through to judges' homes."

"We've reviewed all the tapes, and the bar is extremely, extremely high this year." Gary said. "And we feel like some of you don't have what it takes to compete at this level."

"Guys…" Louis said, addressing not just the gentlemen, but everyone. "I'm sorry, but some of you are going home right now."

"If we call out your name, it means that you're going through to the next round of bootcamp." Tulisa said gravely. Finn closed his eyes to calm himself. He knew that vocally, he was good enough to make it into the top 150, but with his past, would the competition really want him on the show?

"The first person is…" Louis paused for dramatic effect, before continuing. "Jade Collins."

"Rough Copy."

"Jamie and Shelly."

"Jahmene Douglas."

"Finn Hudson."

YES! Finn let out an internal sigh of relief. He was through the first part of bootcamp. Jesus, they weren't kidding! This was really one of the most stressed he'd ever been. He certainly wasn't prepared for that. He wasn't really listening as the judges read out the rest of the names, as he was ushered into the vast backstage area. After everyone who made it had their name read out, the judges looked at the crying contestants who hadn't made it, and felt really bad.

"Guys, I'm sorry for the rest of you. Honestly. But this is the end of the road."

The unchosen acts left the stage in tears. Many of them were hugging each other in sadness. This was always the worst part of the competition for the judges. Having to kick out so many people at once was not easy!

The judges turned to each other.

"Right off the bat, making such a huge cut is so hard, but it has to be done." Nicole told the cameras. Because the X Factor was internationally televised, practically everything they did was in the presence of cameras.

"The thing to focus on right now…" Gary said. "Is on the ones we put through."

"The good people." Louis said and they nodded.

"It's their shot this week." Gary said. After everyone who hadn't been picked had left the stage, those who had were escorted back. There were around 150 of them now, still a lot, but a lot had gone as well. Once they were on stage, the judges turned back towards the acts.

"The hard work starts now." Louis told them.

"Tomorrow, you will all be competing against each other in a sing off." Tulisa said.

"Give it everything you've got." Nicole advised them. "Because in 72 hours, there will only be 24 of you left."

A big clock suddenly appeared on the screen before them. It was a countdown clock from 72 hours downwards. The competents immediately went backstage, where they were told their first task. Finn listened as one of the producers explained what was going on. The judges had split the acts into random lineups of 2-4, and the next morning, they would perform on stage alongside each other in a bid to stay in bootcamp. The acts tended to put with people of a different category to prevent arguing and sabotage, however a lot of that still occurred, even with those restrictions in place. Finn listened until one of the producers called his name.

"FINN HUDSON! FINN HUDSON!"

Finn jogged over to the man with the headset.

"Right here, sir." He said. The producer nodded and looked at the name of the other person in his lineup, and then announced his name.

"KYE SONES! KYE SONES!"

He quickly also popped up next to Finn, and they both smiled when they saw each other.

"Hey, I'm Finn." Finn said, shaking Kye's hand. Finn also remembered Kye from the research that he had done prior to bootcamp, and knew that Kye was one of the best contestants from the over 28s category.

"Kye. Nice to meet you." He said politely.

"Yeah, right back at you, man." Finn replied. Kye seemed to be a nice guy, and because they were competing in different categories, they wouldn't have a need to so

They were then given a list of suitable songs and their backing tracks, before being shown into an empty practise room. After a LOT of noise outside, having a silent practise room was blissful.

"So, which song should we do?" Finn asked, looking at the list. "There are a lot of great choices."

Finn was right. There were a mixture of pop, rock, soul, and Broadway songs on the list. They spent a good 10-15 minutes crossing off songs they didn't like, before finding one that they did.

"How about this one?" Kye suggested, pointing to one that neither of them had eliminated. Finn smiled.

"That's a great idea! Yes! And our voices would work pretty well together for it!"

They practised together for the whole day, and only got around 5 hours of sleep that night, before they were woken up to eat breakfast and then go back to the studio to perform.

"Morning." Finn said, walking into the studio and meeting Kye, who was already there. He smiled at him. Over the past 24 hours, he had gotten to know Finn a lot better, and he was a really great guy.

"Kye Sones and Finn Hudson, you two are up next. Please report to the green room immediately!" The P.A announced. They both took a deep breath.

"We got this." Finn said, confidently, although inside, his nerves were a mess. Performing alongside a singer as amazing as Kye could do one of two things: it could make him sound a lot better, or it could make him sound like a measly back up singer to Kye's stardom. Finn ignored the tiny voice that was telling him this, and he walked on stage with Kye.

"Hey guys!" Nicole exclaimed, excitedly, as they both walked on stage.

"Hey!" They both replied nervously.

"How are you?" She then asked.

"Good," Finn said.

"Pretty good," Kye said.

"I must say, as soon as I saw this lineup on the roster, I was so excited! So, Finn, Kye, take it away."

The piano started playing almost immediately, and the two of them sang together.

_I've been roaming around_

_Always looking down at all I see_

_Painted faces, fill the places I can't reach_

_You know that I could use somebody_

_You know that I could use somebody_

_Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak_

_Countless lovers under cover of the street_

_You know that I could use somebody_

_You know that I could use somebody_

_Someone like you_

_Off in the night, while you live it up, I'm off to sleep_

_Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat_

_I hope it's gonna make you notice_

_I hope it's gonna make you notice_

_Someone like me_

_Someone like me_

_Someone like me, somebody_

_Someone like you, somebody_

_Someone like you, somebody_

_Someone like you, somebody_

_I've been roaming around,_

_Always looking down at all I see_

At the end of the song, the judges clapped wildly. There was no audience present in the arena, but the judges made up for it in their volume. Absolutely randomly, two of the best singers in the competition got to try their hand at singing a duet together and it worked perfectly. While they were singing, the judges nodded at each other, indicating that the two acts were obviously through to the final day of bootcamp.

"Guys…" Tulisa said. She seemed to be like a lead judge - she always spoke first. "Sometimes we have to sit and deliberate, and then talk about the performance, but throughout that performance, we all gave each other nods, and we want to see both of you back here tomorrow on this stage!"

Finn and Kye jumped up and hugged each other, before walking off stage. Dermott and a mic and cameraman immediately approached them for a quick interview.

"So, what was that like?" Dermott asked.

"Oh my god! That was the best! Oh my god! That was actually just the best!" Kye exclaimed, before walking away happily. Dermott then turned to Finn.

"What about you, Finn? How did it feel to absolutely kill that song, bring it back to life for fun, and then kill it again?"

Finn laughed.

"To be honest, it's probably been more stressful for me than the 2 years I spent in Afghanistan."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The judges were discussing the two performers afterward.

"Those two are good! Very good!" Gary said, quietly, to the other judges.

"Yeah, the talent is off the charts this year. I can't even wait to see what they pull out of the hat for tomorrow."

Finn spent the whole night deciding on a song. It was his last chance to impress the judges before they decided on just 6 guys for the judge's house round. Finn had been watching the competition, and he spotted a couple of guys to watch. There was a boy called Jahmene Douglas who although suffered from severe nerves, was an extraordinary talent. There also was a guy called Christopher Maloney, but Finn didn't know whether he was in the over 28s category, or the regular boys category. When Finn went back to his room, he called Santana for help.

"Hey Finn! How's bootcamp going? Should you really be calling me right now? Shouldn't you be working?"

"Um… bootcamp's going great. I'm through to the final day, with a live audience. But I have no idea what song to do. I need something unique if I want the judges to actually pay attention to me."

"Why not an acoustic song?" She suggested. Finn shrugged.

"Yeah, but what song?"

"Honestly, just be yourself, Finn. Don't do something stupid. Do what you know how to do. Take risks, but don't take too huge ones."

Finn thought for a moment and then smiled.

"Thanks, Santana. You just helped me decide on a song!"

"I did?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah, you did. Gotta go. Love you, bye." He said, hanging up the phone. Santana sighed. She never would truly understand that man.

Finn knew exactly what he needed to do. He needed to do something unique, and something that would set him apart from the others. When Santana said for him to 'be himself,' it gave him an amazing idea. What was more unique than an original Finn Hudson song? He had started writing songs for as long as he could remember, and a couple of them were bound to be good, right? He had the idea, and now he just needed to execute it to perfection…


	72. Chapter 72

**Bootcamp - Day 3**

The final day of bootcamp had arrived, and the judges were giving a quick statement to the Xtra Factor interviewers before the performances started.

"So…" Caroline Flack - one of the interviewers - said. "You've seen every audition, and everyone's bootcamp group performance. Could you tell us who your stand out acts are?"

"For me…" Nicole said. "One of my all time favourites is Finn Hudson. There's something in his eyes that is so special. He's a real artist. And I'm also hoping Jahmene Douglas will come through for us tomorrow."

Tulisa was next to give her opinion.

"I'm going to give you a very short list." She said. "Kye Sones, Rough Copy."

"Melanie Masson is another one." Gary added.

The judges nodded and sat at their table for another long day of judging performances. Today would be a very hard day for them - they would have to cut 24 acts from each category down to 6, who would advance to the judge's house round.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Finn walked on stage, nervous. There was a piano already on stage for him, and the judges were confused. He had been so good with the guitar during his first audition, why change now? As Finn walked on stage, the audience were even louder than last time - his first audition still fresh in all of their minds.

"Hi, Finn!" Tulisa said as he walked up to the mic.

"Hi!" Finn replied, waving at the judges.

"So, Finn, what do you plan on singing for us today?" She asked.

"Um… I'm singing an original song I wrote called Someone You Loved. It's a piano ballad about how everything can slip away so quickly."

They nodded.

"Well, good luck." Gary said. Finn sat at the piano stool and faced the keys. He didn't need a manuscript as the notes were imprinted in his mind. He started to play.

_I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me_

_This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy_

_I need somebody to heal_

_Somebody to know_

_Somebody to have_

_Somebody to hold_

_It's easy to say_

_But it's never the same_

_I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain_

_Now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

At the end of the first chorus, the volume of the audience grew. They could tell that this song was dripping with the same amount of emotion as in his first audition. But this one was just as good, if not better, because he wrote the song himself. It was a studio recording level song without a doubt. Finn just didn't have the money to record the song. YET.

_I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to_

_This all or nothing way of loving got me sleeping without you_

_Now, I need somebody to know_

_Somebody to heal_

_Somebody to have_

_Just to know how it feels_

_It's easy to say but it's never the same_

_I guess I kinda liked the way you helped me escape_

_Now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

As Finn began the final refrain and chorus of the song, genuine tears ran down Nicole's cheek. That man's voice just did something to her. The vulnerability he showed by bearing his soul was like that of no other current artist. He was pure talent, not encumbered by traditional vocal lessons and techniques.

_And I tend to close my eyes when it hurts sometimes_

_I fall into your arms_

_I'll be safe in your sound 'til I come back around_

_For now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

_But now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**[Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zABLecsR5UE) **

At the end of the song, Finn was almost deafened by the sound of the applause. Once again, he got a standing ovation, but getting his feedback took a little longer than last time, due to the fact that Louis, Nicole and Tulisa were still wiping away tears. Finn smiled to himself. He had given the competition absolutely everything he had, and if they didn't want him after that, it was their loss.

"How did that feel?" Gary asked when the crowd finally calmed down.

"Incredible." Finn said, simply. He was overwhelmed by a host of emotions.

"I've gotta say." Gary began. "I would pay a lot of money to hear a studio recording of that song. That was amazing!"

"Thank you so much." Finn mumbled. He walked off stage and once again, when Finn was safely out of earshot, the judges had their little extra conversation.

"Those lyrics…" Gary said. "They just meant so much."

"That's what I'm saying. It's those lyrics. They're so deep for someone so young." Nicole said, still sobbing pretty hard.

"We can't touch him." Tulisa said. "We just have to be in awe of him."

"I'm done." Nicole said, fanning her eyes to help dry her tears.

As soon as Finn made it back to his room, he called George.

"GEORGE! GEORGE! GEORGE! GEORGE! GEORGE!" He shouted into the phone. George, who was sitting in his cubicle in the office, laughed.

"Hey Finn, how'd the audition go?" He asked.

"So I sang one of my original songs, and it was AWESOME! I made three of the judges cry!"

George was so happy to hear the genuine joy in his brother's voice. Finn clearly had a lot of mental health issues that were consequences of his military stint, and hearing him so happy warmed his heart.

"Well, Finn, I'm at work right now, so I can't talk long. But good luck for the reveal tonight. Call me immediately after, okay?"

"You got it. See ya soon." Finn said and hung up. He couldn't stop smiling, and his face wasn't used to it. Was this what happiness felt like? It felt so warm! Suddenly, a knot of worry came to his stomach, and he knew that his anxieties had taken over his happiness. What if he didn't make it to the judges' house round? And even if he did, only 3/6 people get taken to live shows. If he wanted a record deal, he would have to not only make it past the judge's house round, but also do really well in the live shows, against 13 people (4 from each category and one wildcard).

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It was time for the judges to deliberate on who was moving on. They had watched everyone's audition and bootcamp audition, and it was going to be an incredibly tough decision to make, and it was going to be a long couple of hours for them…

"Today is a really emotional day." Tulisa told the cameras. "Because today, we cut down 70 acts to the final 24."

"The atmosphere is so tense right now." Barlow told the cameras. "And it's very tense in the judge's room as well because, you know, we're dealing with people's careers, people's lives. We want to make the right decisions and we really hope we have."

"I get really emotional, especially when we have to send people home, because as an artist, and having been in that position before, I know exactly how they're feeling. My heart just breaks for them, as we have their dreams and their lives at the palm of our hands." Nicole added.

"There were a lot of tears on stage. A lot of emotion. Because obviously, this is a very hard decision to come to. All the judges aren't going to agree on certain acts." Louis said.

"We've had really serious, strong arguments after the first day of bootcamp, and I know that this is going to be just as hard, if not harder." Gary said. The judges started going through the various cards with the contestants' faces and information on them.

"Can I throw this one out now?" Barlow asked, pointing to his least favourite act.

"NO!" The other judges shouted.

"What, why?" Gary asked.

"Gary!" Louis exclaimed. "He was the most memorable."

"Louis, you are joking me." Gary snapped.

"You love him, didn't you T?" Louis asked Tulisa.

"I did, but for the wrong reasons." Tulisa said, quietly.

"But… those wrong reasons could be all the right reasons." Nicole argued. "He's fun!"

"Guys, he has to go." Gary said.

"Gary! You're wrong." Louis said.

"It wasn't that bad." Nicole added.

"Oh, no, it was bad. I don't know what it is. When he performs, I literally want to kill myself."

Gary sighed and reluctantly put the card on the Yes pile. The judges moved on.

"That's my star." Tulisa said decisively, pointing to the picture of a girl with her guitar.

"Nah, this is my star." Nicole said, pointing to the picture of a tall, muscular brunette, who was holding his guitar. "He could seriously be the dark horse of the competition."

The judges kept sifting through the pile, and eventually, they had agreed on a final 6 from each category for the judge's house round.

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**Later that night…**

All of the contestants were gathered on stage to await their faith. The boys were on the far left, girls in the left center, groups in the right center, and over 28s on the far right. Tension was at its highest right now, everyone desperate to take up one of the coveted 6 spots in their category.

"Hey guys." Tulisa said. "We're going to start with the groups, and work our way across the room, okay? The first group going through to judge's houses is… Mitsotu!"

The group celebrated wildly, but Finn couldn't care less. The boys category was the last to be announced, so he would have to await his fate. The groups came first, then the Over 28s, then the girls, then finally, the boys.

"The second group is... " Gary said. "Rough Copy."

The 3 man band high fived and hugged each other. Whilst Finn was happy for them, he was also really nervous. He just wanted the groups, over 28s and girls sections to be over.

"The third group is…" Nicole said. "MK1."

MK1 was a duo of two street dwelling 20 year olds. One of them - a girl called Charlie - was the singer of the pair, and Raheem - the guy in the duo - was the rapper. Together, they performed modern music, and it was completely different to the style of music the other contestants performed, so they definitely stood a chance of making it to live shows.

"The fourth group is…" Louis said. "Union J."

In Finn's opinion, Union J were the best group in the competition, and genuinely stood a good chance of winning. They were originally a boy band of three, but during bootcamp, a fourth member was added, making them a four piece group. All four of them had great voices, and great harmonizing, so they were going to be a lethal act by the time live shows came around. In addition, they were probably going to be receiving a lot of the young girls' votes, as girls loved boy bands.

"The fifth group is…" Gary said. "District3."

District3 were similar to Union J, in the sense that they were both boy bands. But they both sang completely different styles of music. Whilst Union J sang typical pop songs, District3 sang R'n'B type songs. They were probably better singers than Union J, but they wouldn't get as many votes as Union J.

The sixth and final group is…" Nicole said. "Poisonous Twins."

The final group to make it to judge's house was a duo of identical twins called Kaley and Cassie Grey. Finn had no idea how they made it so far. They couldn't hold a note! The only thing that they had going for them was that they were both drop-dead gorgeous, and would probably receive a fair few votes from male viewers, if they made it to live shows.

The groups were finally out the way, and it was onto the over 28s.

"The first over 28, is…" Louis paused. "Kye Sones."

Finn smiled and clapped as Kye leapt in the air with joy. He certainly deserved to have made it. Kye was currently working as a chimney sweep in Kansas City, and he desperately wanted a break into the music industry.

"The second… Melanie Masson."

Melanie Masson was a 49 year old housewife, who had 3 children. She, like Finn, would certainly be one of the dark horses of the competition: despite the fact that she didn't look very threatening, her voice was powerful as hell, and Finn knew that her and ballads would be a lethal combination.

"The third… Nicola-Marie Bloor."

Nicola-Marie was pretty irrelevant in Finn's opinion. She had a decent voice, but everyone at this stage of the competition did. She had nothing unique about her that gained the judges' attention.

"The fourth… Brad Shackleton."

Brad was a security guard who worked the night shift in a car park in Virginia. He rarely got to see the day, as he often slept during that time, so he desperately wanted a record deal so that his life could become a little bit more normal.

"The fifth… Carolynne Poole."

Unlike most of the competitors, Carolynne Poole had experience being in front of the cameras and spotlight. She was an ex-model and actress and in addition, she also came third in the BBC singing competition Fame Academy nine years ago. Although she had more experience that anyone else, her voice wasn't as strong as some of the other competitors, so she was pretty average on the whole.

And the final over 28 is… Christopher Maloney."

So, he was an over 28, Finn thought. That was good! One less amazing singer to compete against for a spot in the live shows. Christopher was a customer service worker in Walmart, and he sang as a hobby. Apparently, he had planned to apply for the competition every year for the past decade, but every time he had chickened up last second and ripped up his application forms each time. Despite his massive nerves, Christopher had auditioned, and done a great job, earning himself four yeses, and breezing through bootcamp. He would probably be one of the ones to watch for the live shows, provided his nerves didn't compromise his judge's house audition.

Now that the groups were over, the girls stepped to the front.

"Hi girls, you know how it works by now. Congrats on making it this far You should be so proud of yourselves." Nicole said. "But we can take only 6 of you to judge's house. The first girl we're taking is… Ella Henderson. Congratulations honey."

Unsurprising, Finn and everyone else thought. She was the red-hot favourite to win the whole competition.

"The second… Amy Mottram."

"The third… Jade Collins."

These next two women were also kind of irrelevant, in Finn's opinion. It's not that they were bad singers, it's just they were kind of… average.

"The fourth… Lucy Spraggan."

Out of everyone in the competition, Finn was compared to Lucy the most. Both of them came into their audition with their guitars, and sang acoustic covers of their respective songs, and both sang original songs in bootcamp. However, Finn's auditions had more intensity and darkness than Lucy's, which is better for some people, and worse for others. Lucy was a more jolly, happy person, and her music reflected that.

"The fifth… Leanne Robinson."

"And the final girl is… Jade Ellis."

Jade Ellis was a young, 24 year old african-american girl who had made the mistake of getting pregnant pretty young - at age 20. She had a 3 year old daughter, and the father of the baby made it very clear that he was not going to get involved with the child, so her life was pretty rough. She lived in a pretty unsafe neighborhood in the Bronx, and she wanted to make live shows and get a record deal so that her and her daughter could have a better life.

Good, Finn thought. Finally they were in the boys category. There was nobody left on stage except the 15 remaining boys.

"Hey guys… It's decision time." Gary said. "And we have only 6 people we can take through to judges homes. The first boy through is… Finn Hudson."

Finn almost fainted in excitement, but he forced himself to keep it together! He had done it! He was in the top 6 of his gender! He walked off stage, where he was briefly interviewed by Dermott.

"How'd that feel?" Dermott asked.

"Best feeling in the world." Finn said. He then listened as the judges called the other boys, and he shook hands with them as they ran backstage.

"Jahmene Douglas."

The short, slim, dark-haired man smiled widely, and walked off stage to join Finn. Although he had never met Jahmene before, there was a certain amount of camraderie that they already shared, having made it so far in the competition. They stood together and watched as the next acts were called.

"Rylan Clark."

Finn couldn't help but smile as the tall, flamboyantly dressed man leapt into he air in delight. Rylan definitely wasn't the best singer, in fact he was probably one of the worst, but he was by far the best entertainer and performer of all of them. He would wear eccentric outfits, weird hairdos and perform great dance routine to make up for his weak singing. Rylan was openly gay, and his personality and wardrobe reminded Finn a lot of Kurt. But not everyone loved Rylan. Gary HATED him! He was Gary's least favourite act in the whole competition. To his credit, Rylan didn't want a record deal from the competition: he wanted to become a television personality which would, in Finn's opinion, be a perfect job for him.

"Jake Quickenden."

"Adam Burridge."

Jake and Adam were first cousins from Michigan. They both were construction workers in a large firm, and really wanted to kickstart music careers.

"Nathan Fagan-Gayle."

A quiet, soft spoken African American Boy smiled to himself. His reaction was so much calmer than everyone else's, but just because he was quiet, didn't mean that he didn't have a killer voice.

The boys ran backstage and hugged each other. They were all equally happy. They had made it to judge's houses round after all. They were being flown to somewhere in the world, to perform for one of the judges, and a guest judge who was usually a superstar. Finn left the arena the happiest he had ever been. It was a feeling like no other. As he made it closer and closer to live shows, he could feel himself getting happier and happier. He was starting to appreciate life more, and he wasn't about to let this prime opportunity slip away.


	73. Chapter 73

It was two days before the Judges' houses round, and the judges were yet to be told which category they would be mentoring in the competition.

"I love this bit." Gary said, as he waited anxiously in his house for the call, along with the other 3 judges.

"I'm totally nervous about finding out." Nicole said.

"I just need to know what I'm gonna get." Louis said.

Suddenly, Gary's phone rang. He knew exactly who it was. There was only one person qualified to break the news. The protocol was that when they got the call, they had to go into another room so that the other judges wouldn't hear. Gary did that - he walked into one of the many bathrooms of the mansion.

"Hello?" Gary answered the phone.

"Gary, it's Simon." Simon Cowell - the founder of the show - said.

"Hi, Simon." Gary replied. "How are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you. How are you?"

"I'm alright, but give me the news!" Gary exclaimed.

"OK, so, we've given it a lot of thought, myself and the producers, and the category you are going to mentor… is… the over 28s."

Gary smiled.

"Oh wow." He said. "That is music to my ears." He said, smiling.

"Good. Gary, best of luck."

"Thank you very much. Take care." Gary said, and Simon ended the call. Gary was very happy. The over 28s was the category he wanted.

"I feel like in recent years..." Gary said. "The overs category has become a bit of a joke category. I really want to restore the overs for what it should be this year. It's people over 28 with massive talent."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Louis was the next to receive the call. When his phone buzzed, he stood up and left Nicole and Tulisa in the main living room, and he walked into the kitchen.

"Hello." He said, answering the phone.

"Louis, it's Simon. The decision we have made…" Simon said, deliberately slowly to build suspense.

"Come on! Tell me!" Louis exclaimed, shifting around, nervously in his seat.

"God help them. You have the groups."

"Oh, OK." Louis said, taken aback. He was not expecting that! He was expecting to get the overs. But the groups! That was amazing!

"Just be good at what you do, Louis." Simon said.

"OK, thank you Simon."

"Cool. Bye."

"Bubye." Simon hung up.

"I got the groups!" Louis exclaimed once he was off the phone. "I wasn't expecting that! But I'm going to work hard, and it's gonna be great."

"I know there's something special in this category." He added. "I think I've got a secret weapon in this category."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tulisa and Nicole were still waiting for their phones to ring, and they were chatting about who they wanted to get.

"I really want the girls because I feel like there are a few genuine contenders in that group." Nicole said.

Suddenly, Her phone went off. She walked out onto the terrace and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She answered the phone.

"Nicole, it's Simon."

"Hi Simon."

"You know why I'm calling. The category you will be mentoring is… the Boys."

"The boys?!" Nicole exclaimed, excited but surprised. "I didn't expect that at all! I'm super stoked though!"

"Well, best of luck."

"Thank you, Simon." She said, and hung up.

"In the boys category," Nicole said. "I think that we have a real contender. A serious contender. Quite possibly the winner, and he's so unique. I'm so excited to work with him."

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"I would love to be able to work with the girls." Tulisa said, waiting for the phone to ring. Eventually, it did.

"It's Simon." Simon said, as he answered the phone.

"Hey Simon!" Tulisa said, cheerfully.

"So, the category you'll be mentoring… is…"

Simon paused for a moment.

"Come on man! I'm not breathing!" She exclaimed.

"The girls."

"YES!" Tulisa screamed. "Thank you very much, Simon."

"Sweetheart, best of luck."

"Thank you! Bye!"

Once Tulisa was off the phone, she started hopping up and down in happiness. She got her first choice category!

"Before, I said to myself there's no way I could win two years in a row. Never gonna happen. But, my category is so strong, that it's actually possible." Tulisa said.

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There were a couple of days until the judge's house round, and Finn was starting to pack his stuff. There was a good month between bootcamp and the judges house round so Finn went back to Lima during that time. He was practically treated like a celebrity there - Lima had never had anyone famous come out of the city, so they were anxious and excited for Finn to possibly be the first. After all, his audition song did have almost 15 million views on Youtube. It was a huge confidence booster to have all of the support from the whole town, and he knew that if he made it to live shows, he could count on most of their votes.

Because Finn's audition video had gone so viral so quickly, the Xtra Factor wanted an interview with him in his hometown. They had planned for him to have a quick chat with Olly Murs - ex-X Factor contestant and now co host of the Xtra Factor - and then a quick tour of some of Finn's favourite spots in Lima.

Ever since George found Finn in Lima, although he had to go back to Toronto again, his mom was still living in Lima so George made sure that his mom kept an eye on Finn. Finn and Ms. Shelley had always been really close, and she was practically his mom. Every week or so, Finn would come over to Ms. Shelley's house for a couple of hours, and would hang out with Ms. S, and they decided to start the interview from there rather than Finn's tiny studio apartment.

Olly Murs was at Mrs. Shelley's house at 12 pm on the dot. Before he knocked, he turned to the camera and spoke to it.

"A couple of weeks ago, we met Finn Hudson, a hard up lad from Ohio. But at his audition, he proved he was rich with talent. He sailed through to bootcamp with 4 yeses, and is now through to the judge's house round. But that's not the end of his story, as since then, he's clocked up millions of youtube hits. So, the Xtra Factor decided to come visit him in his hometown of Lima, Ohio."

With that, he knocked on the door, and Finn opened it moments later.

"Hello." Finn said, smiling at Olly and the camera behind him.

"Hey." Olly replied.

"Nice to meet you, man."

"Lovely to meet you, mate."

Finn showed Olly inside, and brought him to the living room, where Mrs. Shelley was also waiting.

"Um… this is my best friend's mom, Lorraine." Finn introduced Olly and the Xtra Factor to Mrs. Shelley, and the two adults shook hands.

"Lovely to meet you." Olly said.

"Nice to meet you too. Finn's just brought his washing around. Typical." She said, and Olly laughed.

"So, you two have known each other for a while, right?" Olly asked. Finn and Mrs. Shelley nodded. "Then Lorraine, you must have some embarrassing childhood pictures."

Lorraine laughed and Finn groaned.

"Quite a few." She said, taking out an album. "This was Finn and his first guitar." She pointed to a picture of him where he couldn't have been more than 12. His hair was bleached blonde and to top it off, he had embarrassing Justin Beiber bangs.

"Oh god, I'm losing all of my street cred here!" Finn exclaimed, and Olly laughed.

"And Lorraine, what was it like when Finn said he was going to go for the X Factor?"

"Um… I'm going to be totally honest here. The only reason Finn auditioned for the X Factor was he was broke and he was short on his bar tab, and the bartender offered to pay his tab for the next week if he auditioned for the X Factor."

"Give me a break! It was absolutely nerve wracking to do, but you know, I'm glad it paid off." Finn said, and Olly nodded. At that point, Lorraine had to go, but Olly and Finn continued the interview.

"So, Finn…" Olly said. "We're going to play a game called 90 seconds. Have you ever heard of it?"

Finn shook his head.

"So basically, I'm going to ask you random questions for 90 seconds, and you have to answer with the very first thing that comes to mind. Don't think, just speak. You got it."

"Yup, let's do it." Finn replied, and Olly started the time.

"Name?" Olly asked.

"Finn Hudson."

"Age?"

"25."

"Favourite sport?"

"Football and Hockey."

"Star sign?"

"Scorpio."

"Favourite food?"

"Bacon." Finn replied immediately, and Olly laughed.

"Favourite X Factor finalist ever?"

Finn had to think about that for a second.

"Um… Leona Lewis. Nobody's touching her anytime soon."

Leona Lewis had won the third series of the competition, and she had gone on to produce 3 number 1 hits.

"Insta stories or Snapchat?" Olly asked.

"Insta."

"Acoustic or the full band?"

"Acoustic." Finn answered easily.

"Eminem or Jay Z?"

"Eminem."

"City lights or country life?"

"Country life."

"What was the first concert you went to?"

"Queen. It was top-class." Finn replied.

"What was the first single you ever bought?"

Finn had to also think about this for a moment."

"Um… Bryan Adams. Summer of '69 I think. Still one of my favourite songs." He replied.

"Favourite T.V Show?"

Finn laughed.

"I'm going to be a bit of a cheese ball with this. Back during my military days, after a long, tough day of fighting, I would unwind by watching an episode of How I Met Your Mother."

Olly laughed.

"Wow… not what I was expecting." he said. "Moving on… What's your favourite late night snack?"

Finn laughed.

"Oh, man! What isn't my favourite late night snack? Lately, it has been cashew nuts. Good source of fat."

"What do you enjoy most about music?"

"Losing yourself and forgetting about your troubles for the few minutes of the song."

"What's your most valued possession?"

"My Medal of Honor from the Army." Finn replied instantly. "I don't have a lot of material things, but that means the most as it shows that the blood, sweat and tears I poured into my 7 years of service was actually recognised and appreciated."

"Wow, aren't you a hero?" Olly laughed.

"Finally, if you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?"

"Flying. Like I parachuted all the time in the military, and it just feels so freeing to be in the air like that."

"Cool, perfect, that's 90 seconds. Well done. I believe all of us got to know Finn Hudson a little better. Now I believe you're going to show us around Lima?"

Finn chuckled.

"There really isn't much to see, man. I'll just show you my two favourite spots I guess." Finn said. Olly nodded and followed Finn out of the house.

Five minutes later, Finn and Olly were downstairs in the booth of a filthy MacLaren's.

"So Finn, why have you brought me here to MacLaren's?" Olly asked.

"Um… MacLaren's is my local bar. It's one of like 2 bars in Lima. And it's where I perform pretty much every day."

"So you've sort of got your experience from this place?" Olly asked. Finn shrugged.

"Not this place in particular, but this kind of setting. I was a singer in a resort in Hawaii for 4 months when I was 17, and then before that, when I was homeless for 6 years. I feel like it was really those experiences that really built me. Whether you play to a full bar, or to five people, it's all character building."

After they finished having a pint at MacLaren's, Finn and Olly went to their final destination: Schoonover Park. They sat under the shade of one of the large oak trees, and they admired the view. It also overlooked the lake, and it was one of very few spots in the whole cowtown that actually looked nice.

"This is where I get my inspiration from." Finn explained. "I come out here, and sit here with my guitar and have a little singing."

"Would you be willing to sing something for us?" Olly asked, excitedly. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"You know, I've actually put my own little spin on one of your songs, Heart Skips A Beat, so you have to sing with me."

"Ok, let's do it." Olly said. Finn smiled and picked up his guitar. He started strumming and the two of them started singing.

_So come on, spin me around_

_Now I don't wanna go home_

_'Cause when you hold me like this, you know my heart skips, skips a beat_

_I know I should, but I can't leave it alone_

_And when you hold me like this, that's when my heart skips, skips a beat_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh_

_So, hung up_

_We can't, let go_

_If you really have, to leave_

_One more time just move, me slow_

_So put another record on_

_Play it on repeat_

_Nothing really matters when we're dancing_

_Cause all you need to know, is what you do to me_

_And every time you hold me close, my heart skips, skips a beat_

_So come on, spin me around_

_Now I don't wanna go home_

_'Cause when you hold me like this, you know my heart skips, skips a beat_

_I know I should, but I can't leave it alone_

_And when you hold me like this, that's when my heart skips, skips a beat_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh_

**For the actual version, click:**

[Olly Murs - Heart Skips a Beat Acoustic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMz16GdwRd4)


	74. Chapter 74

Finally it was time to leave for the judge's house round, and Finn was bursting with nerves and excitement. He was taking a train to Manhattan and from there, the 6 guys were flying out to wherever their mentor lived. An extremely fun part about this process was that they had no idea where they were flying to, or who their mentor was - the contestants would find out the destination of their mentor's house once they were all at JFK, and they would only meet their mentor when they arrived at the destination.

Finn was the last guy to arrive at JFK, and he walked over to the other 5 guys, who he saw gathered together at the side of the airport. When they saw him, they smiled.

"Hey, Finn! Where the hell were you?" Jake asked.

"Sorry, my train was late." Finn apologised. "Anyways, we've still got a good couple of hours before our flight, so what's the big deal?"

"Nothing. We just want to get our destination envelope and we couldn't get it until you arrive."

FInn nodded and walked over to the baggage drop place to drop off his military duffel. He was only going for a couple of days, so he didn't really need a suitcase. The blonde stewardess behind the check-in desk beamed at him.

"Ah! Mr. Hudson! How are you this morning?" She asked.

"Not too bad. How about yourself?" He responded politely.

"It's been amazing. It's not every day I get to talk to a future superstar."

"You're too kind." Finn laughed.

"I'm not lying." She said, as she took his bag from him and she gave him an envelope with their 6 tickets and the name of the country they were going to. "Here you go, Mr. Hudson. Have a wonderful day."

"Yeah, you too." Finn said, and he prepared to leave, before he was called back.

"Mr. Hudson?" The stewardess said. Finn smiled at her.

"Finn, please. Mr. Hudson makes me sound like I'm like an ancient grandpa!"

The stewardess laughed.

"Ok… Finn. If you don't mind, could I please get your autograph?"

Finn was taken aback. Although he was often recognized on the streets as being the guy with the viral X Factor audition, nobody had ever asked for his autograph before.

"You… you want my autograph?" Finn clarified, to make sure he wasn't hearing things. The stewardess blushed.

"I'm sorry. It's stupid. I shouldn't have asked." She stammered.

"No, no, it's okay! I'd be happy to. It's just… I was a little surprised. Nobody's ever asked me for their autograph before. Usually, they ask for something else." He said.

"Which is what?" She asked, curiously.

"For me to get the hell away." Finn answered jokingly, and the stewardess giggled. "Anyways, what would you like me to sign?"

"Um… well the competition gave me a picture of each of the contestants so that I'd recognise them. Could you sign the picture of you?"

Finn nodded and the stewardess handed him a pen and a picture of Finn from his first audition. Finn happily signed the photo, said goodbye to the stewardess and with a huge smile on his face, went to rejoin his fellow contestants. Their faces lit up when they saw the envelope in his hands.

"Is that…?" Rylan's voice trailed off.

"Let's see where we're going, shall we?" He exclaimed. THe other 5 boys cheered as Finn opened the envelope, revealing 2 words in block capitals…

**DUBAI, UAE**

The boys went crazy when they saw their destination. They were going to one of the greatest cities in the world! The technological and modern hub of the middle east, containing the world's tallest building, world's only 7 star hotel, world's biggest man-made island, and so much more, all of it amazingly in the middle of the desert. Although they were more nervous about the upcoming audition than they had ever been in their lives, they still wanted to have a little fun during the time they were spending there.

The 6 guys breezed through the airport: they got to skip all of the queues at security, passport control, etc. But on the other hand, they were held back by people wanting autographs and pictures with them. Finn, by far, had the most people coming over to him, partly because his audition video had so many more views than anyone else's, and partly because the songs that he sang appealed to the general demographic of the people in the airport more. Eventually, the 6 guys practically sprinted onto the plane. They were flying first class! None of them had ever flown first class before, and they were overwhelmed by how luxurious it was. The seats in the Emirates A380 were suites - they had four walls around each of them. They were also treated with a minibar, a 5 course meal, and literally anything they asked for, the stewards and stewardesses would find them, no matter how crazy their request was. Finn spent most of the flight getting to know Rylan. He was a really nice guy. Born and raised in the U.K, he moved to the States for college and hasn't been back since. One thing that Finn noticed and respected most about Rylan was that he didn't care about going against the norm and the status quo, even if it meant having a few enemies.

Although Finn had many fans, he also had many, many enemies however, unlike Rylan's haters, they didn't hate him for his voice. Nobody could deny that Finn had an incredible, unique voice. People severely disliked Finn because he was ex-military. They considered soldiers to be a gang of blood-thirsty monsters who enjoyed killing people. They were all wrong. Soldiers in any branch of the military hate killing people, but they do it to protect the innocent citizens of the world from harm. Finn's Twitter had become like a seesaw - one side of it was full of love and kind comments, the other full of hate, selfishness and ignorance from 'pacifist' civilians.

When the boys landed in Dubai airport, they couldn't wait to get off the plane. It had been an insanely long flight - 14 hours to be exact - but the time flew as they all had an amazing time together. Even though, at the end of the day, they were competing against each other, they still became pretty close friends. Half an hour later, when the boys were through the airport and had just exited the building, their jaws dropped…

The outside of the airport was completely packed with fans holding banners and photographs of the 6 contestants. Finn and the other boys had no idea how so many people knew who they were. Happily but shellshocked, they took selfies with fans, and signed numerous autographs. Finn was practically mobbed by a crowd of a hundred girls, all of whom wanted a picture with him. Finn's fan base consisted of around 50% teenage girls, who found Finn extremely attractive, as well as a great singer. Eventually, the 6 boys were shown into a limo by the chauffeur and they began the journey to their hotel.

All 6 boys' faces were glued to the window the whole journey to the hotel. Dubai was incredible, and so unique to any other city they had ever seen before. If someone was dropped randomly in Dubai with no prior information, they would have no idea that the land they were standing on used to be deserts. The city was taken up by weaving snakes of highways, towering skyscrapers, hotel, theme parks and many other amazing things. While they were sitting in the limo, Rylan took out a bottle of champagne from the cooler and passed around 6 glasses.

"Here's to us, guys!" He said. "I don't know about you guys, but I never would have thought that I'd be here, in this competition, one year ago. A year ago today, I was a cashier in Best Buy."

"I couldn't agree more!" Adam piped in. "A year ago today, Jake and I were working for 12 hours a day on the construction site, which they ended up scrapping last month."

"I was a worker in Costco." Jahmene added.

"I was a secretary at a law firm." Nathan said. Finn chuckled to himself.

"I can trump all of you guys." He said, confidently. "One year ago today, I was locked in a Paraguayan prison by a cartel and was being stabbed and beaten up by a bunch of prisoners."

They all nodded.

"Ok, fine. Your past is way worse than ours'." Rylan said. "But think about how far we've all come. It's pretty incredible if you ask me."

"Hell yeah, it is! Cheers everybody!" Adam exclaimed. They clinked their glasses together and relaxed into the plush leather seats of the limousine.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the hotel. They were staying in the world-famous, 7 star hotel called the Burj al Arab. It was one of the most luxurious hotels in the world - it was extremely expensive and luxurious, the rooms were all enormous suites, and the hotel was in the shape of a boat sail. The six guys wolf-whistled when they walked in. There was gold everywhere: on the bannisters, on the ceilings, on the walls. There was also an aquarium in the lobby! In addition to all of this, the hotel they were staying at was right next to one of the best water parks in the world and because it was November, it was the perfect temperature to go.

They all walked to the check-in desk together, smiling at the clerk who instantly recognised them.

"Hey everybody! How was your flight here?" He asked.

"Good." They all said. Shortly after they had check-in and dropped their bags in their rooms, they were told to go up to the roof of the building to meet their mentor. Excitedly, the 6 guys rushed up to the roof, amped up like little kids on Christmas, but to their shock and disappointment, there was nobody there. It was just a massive helipad. Finn suddenly thought of something.

"You guys…" He called to them. "You don't think our mentor is going to fly in on a helicopter, do you?"

They all realised what Finn said, and they nodded.

"Yeah, I feel like you're right." Rylan exclaimed.

The boys looked off the edge of the helipad, and they saw the beach, an insane looking waterpark, and the Downtown skyline in the distance.

"I tell you what, this is definitely not like Michigan." Adam commented. They all nodded, comparing the incredible surroundings to their own hometowns. Not even NYC or L.A was like this.

"I just can't believe that 15 hours ago, we were sitting in freezing-cold New York." Nathan said.

"Who do you think our mentor's gonna be?" Finn asked Rylan. He shrugged.

"I really don't know. What would you do if Simon Cowell was our mentor?"

"Oh my god, I think I might just die if that's the case," Jake said. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise that they instantly recognised as helicopter propellers. The sounds steadily got closer, and a helicopter landed right in front of them. A driver stepped out of the chopper and opened the passenger.

"This is it." Jahmene whispered to Finn. "Our mentor is walking out in three… two… one…"

A tall, dark-haired woman stepped out. It was Nicole! The guys all cheered. Nicole was a great mentor to have as because she was a huge superstar, she knew firsthand how to help them.

"Boys, I'm so excited that I got this category. Every single one of you is so talented, but I can only bring 3 through to the finals. But I can't make this decision on my own. So I decided to bring with me as a guest judge, my good friend from back in the day, he's a megastar all over the world. It's Tinie Tiempah!"

Someone else stepped out of the helicopter. It was TINIE TIEMPAH! The boys couldn't believe it. He waved at them as he walked towards them.

"How are you doing guys? You all right?" He asked them.

"Yeah, amazing!" They all replied.

"Good, well it's not gonna be easy. I think there's so many incredible male artists in the US at the moment. And I do feel like there's a space for one or two more so hopefully we can find that here over the next few days. You guys should have fun, but more importantly, make sure you focus and let's get something amazing out of this!"


	75. Chapter 75

To help the 6 contestants acclimatise to their environment, Nicole gave them three days of vacation and touring the spectacular city before their big audition. The first day, Finn woke up at the crack of dawn, and unsurprisingly, the other contestants woke up at around the same time. The time difference between Dubai and NYC was 8 hours, so their body clocks were severely messed up. But it actually worked out in their favour. During their first day in Dubai, they were spending the whole day in the desert. The 6 boys went downstairs for breakfast at around 6 am, and around halfway through, Nicole joined them.

"Hey guys, how was your night?" She asked them.

"Amazing. This hotel is incredible!" He exclaimed. Nicole laughed.

"Yeah, just a taste for what could be your futures." She said. "So, have you guys ever been to Middle Eastern deserts before?"

Most of them shook their heads, but Finn nodded.

"Yeah, but none of them for any circumstance like this. All of the times I've been were as part of the military, so there wasn't much time to explore. The most 'exploring' we did was looking for landmines and C4."

"Well, today's going to be amazing for all of you then! We're going to start with ATVing and fat biking, then camel/horse riding, then sandboarding, then archery, and finally, a sunset walk in the desert."

The guys all smiled widely.

"That sounds awesome!" Rylan exclaimed. It sure did. They stepped out into the desert at 7 am, and their mouths dropped. It was absolutely breathtaking! The sun gently glazed the golden blanket of sand that their feet softly dipped into, and it was not uncomfortably hot, but warm enough so that they didn't need jackets. Parked outside the hotel were 7 ATVs, and the 6 guys and Nicole each hopped onto one of the vehicles. None of them but Finn had ever ATV'd before, so while 6 of them drove excruciatingly slowly, Finn roared through the sandy desert, flying up and down dunes like a man possessed.

"FINN! SLOW DOWN!" He heard Rylan scream from a long distance away. Finn chuckled to himself, and then turned around and drove back toward the rest of the group. He parked next to Nicole, who had temporarily stopped to drink some water.

"Hey." She said. "How are you so good at driving ATVs? You don't even have a car back home, right?"

"Yeah, but I had to take a precision driving course as part of Delta Force training, and that also involved driving ATVs and motorcycles."

"Well, do you have any tips for me? We've been going for 20 minutes and I've almost fallen over like 50 times."

Finn laughed.

"Honestly, there's not much to teach. It just takes practise. It's no different to learning stick shift in a car. Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for bringing me this far in the competition. This whole thing… It feels so surreal."

"Finn, it's my pleasure. You're an incredible talent, and I can't wait to possibly mentor you during the live shows!"

"Thanks. You know, if someone told me a couple of years ago that I was all the way in Dubai, competing in the biggest singing competition in the world, being coached by a member of one of the biggest girl groups of all time, I would have laughed in their face. I just feel that at one moment, I'm going to wake up and I'm going to be back in my place in Lima, and this is all going to have been a dream."

Nicole laughed.

"Definitely not a dream. Although, I can see where you're coming from. Look at this view. It's like it's straight from heaven." She said, pointing at the gorgeous sunrise. Finn nodded and Nicole gave him a hug. They then both got onto their quad bikes and everyone ATV'd for another 2 hours before they got tired. Finn had an amazing time watching everyone making a fool of themselves trying to drive their quad bikes. Nobody but Finn was able to get past 4th gear, and Finn could literally reverse faster than they were driving. After ATVing, they went back to the base camp, and waiting for them there were camels and horses. The boys all took turns riding them, which was a lot of fun and very different to anything they had done in the States. Finn almost fell off his camel when it stood up and sat down suddenly.

The rest of the day was spent dirt biking and shooting archery. While Finn was easily the best sandboarder, he was an absolute dunce at archery. In 5 shots, he only hit the target once, and hit the very outer rim at that. Who knew that someone who had crack shot accuracy with a gun could be so bad at archery. After a traditional dinner of falafel, hummus, kebabs and many other arabic foods, the boys went to sleep with huge smiles on their faces. It had been an incredible day, and they couldn't believe that their singing had brought them to this fabulous city.

The next few days went by in a blur. They spent one of the days in the waterpark opposite the hotel, and they spent the other touring the downtown area, and exploring the largest mall in the world - Dubai Mall. It was a vast maze of shops, spanning over 5 floors, and also containing 2 theme parks, a cinema and an indoor soccer pitch. However, soon it was the day of their huge audition and the nerves that had temporarily disappeared were back, and had increased one hundred fold.

The boys were given all day to prepare, and each of them were given an accompanist to practise with. Finn was singing a song with just a basic piano accompaniment, and he was pretty happy with his song choice. Eventually, the sun had started to set, and they all gathered poolside at the hotel, where they would be performing. Nicole and Tinie Tempah sat on 2 throne-like chairs in the poolside gazebo.

"I think that the boys' category is very strong." Nicole said to Tinie Tempah. They were sitting down and the first boy would be performing any minute now. "Winning to me means getting the best out of them. Nobody enters a competition thinking 'I don't want to win.'"

Tempah nodded. Outside the gazebo, sitting by the pool, the 6 boys were nervously waiting to be called.

"This is like the only chance that I'm going to get. It's the best chance that we're gonna get. " Jahmene said. They all agreed, and were fidgeting around anxiously.

"This is it." Nathan added quietly. Suddenly, one of the show's producers walked up to them.

"Finn. you're up first." He said. Finn took a deep breath.

"You got this." Rylan said, giving him a hug. Finn smiled and walked over to the gazebo. Meanwhile, in the room, Nicole and Tempah were discussing the acts.

"So, first up is this guy." Nicole said, pointing to a picture of Finn from his first audition.

"Oh, I've seen this guy's audition. It was incredible." Tempah commented.

"Yeah." Nicole agreed. Before she could elaborate, there was a knock on the door. Finn was waiting to come in.

"Come in!" Nicole called, and Finn stepped into the room.

"Hey Finn, how are you feeling right now?" Nicole asked. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know. I went to that first audition with a hell of a lot of self-doubt. I'm a previously homeless 25 year old, who spent 2 years of his life locked away as a prisoner of war. I've had no vocal coaching, and when I sang my audition song, all it was in essence was me screaming 'WE'RE YOUNG!' at the top of my lungs. But you guys liked it I guess, and you liked my bootcamp auditions too so that felt good."

Nicole nodded.

"And what did it feel like at that first audition?"

"That first audition, it was a big day for me, and I was just so happy to get through it."

"What does taking part in this show mean to you?"

"Taking part in the X Factor is a big deal because I'm putting who I am as a person on the line, which is something I've never really done before. In the army, everyone was kind of conformed as the same, you had to always have a concrete wall around your emotions or you'd be killed. I've spent a lot of my life being quite paranoid about my appearance. I didn't think that I had the full package. You know, the typical pop star."

"And what would getting through to the live shows mean to you?"

"To get through would make me feel that I'm definitely worth something."

"And how are you feeling?" Nicole asked.

"I'm nervous, obviously. Performing in front of both of you is like a fairytale." Finn replied.

"What song are you going to be singing, and why?" Nicole asked.

"Um… so I decided to sing Dancing on my Own, but my own version. I chose this song because it's pretty similar to my first audition in the sense that it's also a dance track, but I'm making it an acoustic song."

"Well then, take it away. This is it." Nicole said. Finn nodded to the accompanist and he started playing the piano part.

_Somebody said you got a new friend_

_Does she love you better than I can?_

_There's a big black sky over my town_

_I know where you're at, I bet she's around_

_Stilettos and broken bottles_

_I'm spinning around in circles_

_And I'm in the corner, watching you kiss her, oh_

_I'm right over here, why can't you see me, oh_

_And I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooh_

_I keep dancing on my own_

_So far away but still so near_

_The lights come up, the music dies_

_But you don't see me standing here_

_I just came to say goodbye_

_I'm in the corner, watching you kiss her, oh_

_And I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the guy you're taking home, ooh_

_I keep dancing on my own_

_So far away, but still so near_

_The lights come up, the music dies_

_But you don't see me standing here_

**For the actual song, click:**

[Calum Scott - Dancing On My Own](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSinMOs5eGw)

Finn sang with every fiber of his being, and the two judges could tell. Every note he hit was perfect, and was drenched in emotion. All of the sadness, angst, anger, and fear he had ever felt was on display for the judges as he sang. Once he finished, they clapped for him.

"Thank you, Finn." Nicole said.

"Thanks." Finn said, and left the room. Once he had gone, the two of them started discussing the performance.

"He sings like he doesn't have a choice." Tinie Tempah remarked. "There's a pain that's there. It's a real pain."

"There's something in that voice!" Nicole said.

"It's incredible." Tempah agreed. "But that anxiety can take over, and should that happen, it can turn to a negative like that." He snapped his fingers to prove his point.

Once Finn was out of the room, he was immediately mobbed by the rest of the guys.

"So, how'd you do?" Jahemene asked. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know. I sang OK. I should have picked a more complicated song though."

Rylan shook his head.

"Sometimes, simplicity is key, isn't it? And besides, you're definitely going through."

Finn shook his head.

"I don't know. The competition isn't just about vocals. It's also about who the audience like the best, as they are the ones voting, not the judges."

Finn tuned out as the rest of the boys were called in, one by one. They all went in looking nervous, and came out looking a mixture of anxiety about the result, and relief that the performance was over. After all 6 boys had performed, the two judges got to deliberating.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Ok, so we've seen everybody sing." Nicole said. "And now we have a really tough decision to make, because we have 6 boys, and just 3 places in the live shows. Let's figure this out."

Tinie nodded.

"Let's do this." He said, and picked up the first picture. It was Finn.

"There's nobody out there like him." He said. "But we know his obvious issue."

"The only place he's at jeopardy is with himself." Nicole remarked.

"Right, and do you feel like that issue is something that he can overcome?" He asked.

"I don't know. This is the hard part for me. But I also have to think about who the audience would like. For example, him." Nicole said, picking up a picture of Rylan. "His voice isn't the best. We both know that. But with guys like Finn, you also need to balance out with guys like Rylan. He's got more stage presence and more fun to him than anyone else in the competition."

Tempah thought for a moment.

"I agree with you there, to a certain extent. I know that it's the audience that are voting, but at the end of the day, this is a singing competition. This isn't America's Got Talent. This is the X Factor."

Nicole nodded.

"But at the end of the day, I think that I want him, him and him." She said, pointing to 3 pictures. "But, all three can easily be replaced by the other three. That's what makes this so hard!" She exclaimed.

"Good voice. Less hard-working." She said, pointing to another card. This time, Nathan's.

"Before today, I didn't always get him, and today I feel like he's won me over."

"Who's it going to be?" Tempah asked, laughing. "You've literally said great things about everyone."

Nicole thought for a moment, and then finalised her choices.

"I think I've chosen. I'm going with these three. Do you back me up?" She said, picking up three cards.

"I got your back." He said.

"Alright, let's do it. Bring it in." She said, giving him a hug. She let out a sigh of relief. That was a TOUGH decision.

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Outside, the 6 guys had walked down to the beach, and sat down in the sand. There was a gorgeous sunset that night. The glowing sun, a crisp circle in the bloody sky, illuminated a quivering path across the water. Even if they didn't make it, this was as good a spot as any to just sit and ponder about life. They were all talking to each other about their performance.

"I'm just trying to calm myself down, cause I know I didn't do 100%, and that's just really hard to deal with. Am I good enough?" Jahmene said. He had even worse anxiety problems than Finn did, and Finn sympathised with him.

"I've done all I can." Jake said. "And now it's down to them. I hope they put me through because, at the end of the day, it's everything to me."

"To know that right now they're choosing whether it's going to be a yes or a no… it's terrifying." Nathan said.

Their thoughts were interrupted by them spotting a producer walking towards them.

"I guess this is it." Finn said, helping Noah to his feet. They all followed the producer back to the hotel, and they sat back on the very same sofa in the waiting room. They were now even more nervous than before, as they had already done everything they could. It was just up to the judges to make their decision. First to find out his fate, was once again, Finn. Like last time, Finn was asked to say a few words to Dermott before he entered the room.

"How did you think you did?" Dermott asked him.

"Um… I think I did pretty well. But I realise the show's never had someone like me. There's always a bit of self-doubt at the back of my mind that I'm not what people want to see."

"Do you think you've made the cut?"

"To put me through would be a huge gamble, so I feel that my fate's hanging in the balance a little bit. I just don't want to go home. I just don't want to go back to that tiny, crappy apartment I live in."

Dermott nodded, and Finn walked through the door to the other room. He was shocked. All of the musical equipment had already disappeared, and the room just contained a couch in the center of the room, where Nicole was sitting down and waiting for him. Once she saw him, she got up and gave him a hug, and then they both sat down.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Petrified. Really petrified."

"You're obviously one of a kind." Nicole started. "And you're so unique as an artist. When you perform, your heart and soul gets put out there to us, and um… that's my favourite attribute of an artist."

Finn's heart was pounding. These were good comments so far, but he knew the criticism was to come. Probably something about his nerves and his anxiety.

"What I'm concerned about, honestly Finn, I just don't know if this competition is for you. I don't know if you're going to be able to be strong enough to deal with the monster that the industry can be."

Yup, here were the comments Finn was expecting. He had been given pretty balanced feedback, so he had no idea whether he would be put through or not.

"I've had to make a decision. There's only 3 people that I can take with me through to the live shows… and Finn, it's not good news."

Finn sighed and nodded. Oh well, he had made it all the way to Dubai due to his music. This wasn't the end of the road for him. He would try again next year, and the year after, and every year he could. He would also compete in some other competitions such as The Voice. He looked up at Nicole.

"Finn, it's not good news." She said gravely, then cracked a smile. "It's frickin' AMAZING news! I'm putting you through!"

Finn put his head in his hands. He was so overwhelmed. He had just gone from possible the saddest he had ever been, to the happiest.

"It's amazing news!" Nicole said, jumping up and down in excitement. Finn had tears of joy in his eyes. HE WAS THROUGH TO LIVE SHOWS!

"Oh my god. I can't believe you did that!" He said, giving Nicole a hug.

"Congratulations, Finn. You deserve this," She said. "Oh, please use this door to exit the building. We don't want people hearing others' results until everyone's verdict has been given."

Finn nodded and left the building through the fire door. After he was out in the fresh, evening air, he couldn't help but shout in happiness. He had worked so hard, made so many sacrifices, and God was finally giving him a better life. Santana would be so proud of him. SANTANA! She told him to call her right after he heard the results. He took out his phone and dialled her number. She answered on the first ring.

"So…" She said. Finn took a deep breath.

"I'm through to live shows."

The screaming and clapping coming from the other side of the line was so loud that Finn had to hold the phone a foot away from his ear.

"You don't sound too happy." Finn joked.

"I'm so proud of you. Oh my god." Santana said, sniffing back tears.

"Love you."

Once Finn was off the phone, Dermott came up to him.

"Good for you, buddy. Congrats." Dermott gave him a hug and shook his hand. "How do you feel?"

"Complete, really, complete. Over the moon happy."

"That's a lovely way of putting it." Dermott said. Finn smiled. This was the happiest he had ever been in his life! Getting through to the life shows would do wonders for his possible future in the industry. Finn walked back down to the beach, and he waited for the other contestants to get their verdicts. A couple of minutes later, Rylan came running towards him.

"So…" Finn asked, excited for his friend. He already knew the result from Rylan's facial expression.

"I'M THROUGH!" He screamed. Finn laughed and hugged his friend.

"Congrats. I'm really happy for you." Finn said.

"Well, what about you?" He asked. Finn shook his head and looked down.

"No, I'm… I'm going home." He mumbled. Rylan's face dropped.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I…"

Finn then smiled widely.

"I'm kidding. I'm through too."

Rylan punched him on the shoulder.

"That's not funny! I felt so bad that I was acting like a jerk! I just assumed that you got through."

Finn laughed.

"Well, I wasn't expecting it. So who do you think is the final boy through?" Finn asked. Rylan shrugged.

"I don't know. Probably Jahmene. He's like the favourite to win the whole thing. But Nathan's really good too. So are Jake and Adam."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"So basically everyone?" He commented. Rylan laughed. Eventually, the rest of the guys emerged from the hotel. It turned out that Jahmene had gotten the final spot in the live shows. A well deserved spot, in Finn's opinion. All 6 boys were staying in Dubai for the next week to go sightseeing, but after that, three boys would be going home, and three would be staying in New York, along with 9 other acts. Each week, one act would be knocked out. Let the games begin…

Later that night, amidst the massive celebrations, Caroline Flack - the Xtra Factor co host - had flown into Dubai to do a quick interview with each of the 3 finalists. Finn was the last to have his interview and when he sat down opposite Caroline for his interview, a glass of champagne was placed in front of him.

"Cheers." She said. Finn smiled, and they clinked their glasses together before taking a sip. "So, Finn Hudson…" She started. "You're through to live shows! Congratulations!"

"Thank you." He replied, still grinning wildly at the thought of the future.

"How does it feel?" She asked.

"Indescribable." He replied.

"In your first audition, you sang Tulisa's song, which was quite a risk. You know, singing one of the judge's songs."

"That was pretty scary, yeah." Finn laughed.

"And you absolutely nailed your judge's house audition." She exclaimed.

"Thank you."

"What was it like singing without your guitar?" She joked.

"I mean, I'm definitely out of my comfort zone now, but I feel like I did okay."

"So, we have a lot of viewers wondering. We know you have a voice of gold, but can you dance too?" She asked. Finn chuckled.

"I swear I've talked about this with Olly when he came to my house a couple of months ago!" Finn said. "I cannot dance! I just can't! The only kind of dancing I can do without completely falling over on my face is slow dancing. That's the only thing I'm somewhat good at, but normal dancing, hell no! That's why I hide behind a guitar or piano!"

"Ok…" She said. "Now, let's talk about the makeovers." She said. "Is that aspect of the competition important to you? I was just interviewing Rylan and he said that the makeovers were the part he was most excited for."

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." He remarked. "But for me, as you can see, makeovers aren't really a part of my daily routine." He said, gesturing to his messy hair, short boxed beard, and his various tattoos that were up and down his arms. "I feel like it'll be kind of cool to look different, but at the end of the day, I don't want to lose what makes me, me. And anyways, the X Factor isn't a modelling show, it's a singing contest, right?"

"Right." She replied. "One more question. Your tattoos. What do they represent, and do you have any other tattoos?"

Finn rolled up his sleeves, revealing a LOT of tattoos cascading down his arm.

"Um… there's quite a lot of them so bare with me." He said. "First of all, I've got the Delta Force Army logo and two crossed machine guns on my back. Because the army was such a huge part of my life, I decided that I needed to get branded on my body with the logo. Next, this arm…" He said, pointing to his left arm. "Is something my friend, who's a tattoo artist, wanted to practise on me. As you can see, it's a sleeve tattoo of a tiger head on my bicep, and rose flowers on my forearm. I love it, because the tiger kind of represents my personality: it can be incredibly fierce, but also very quiet and soft-spoken."

"It looks beautiful." Caroline remarked, admiring the gorgeous tattoo on Finn's arm.

"It does, doesn't it?" Finn said. "And I got it for free, because I was doing a favour to my friend by letting him practise on me. I ended up coming out better off because he didn't mess up like he thought he would - he actually did a great job. And finally…" Finn said, rolling out his right sleeve and revealing a tattoo that covered part of his chest, and part of his right shoulder. It was a jigsaw puzzle made up of different flags, but half of the jigsaw was empty. "This one's probably my favourite tattoo. It's basically a jigsaw with the flag of every country I've been to. There are 60 spaces in the jigsaw, and 15 have been filled so far. I'm getting the United Arab Emirates one when I get back to the States. Basically, my goal for myself is that by the day I die, I would like to have all 60 spaces filled."

"Well, if you become a successful singer-songwriter, you may well complete that before you even retire." Caroline said. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I mean in the off-chance that that actually happens, I feel like it would be really easy because the countries that I have now are going to be pretty different to the ones I would get if I went on tour, as the ones I have now are mainly the ones I visited in Delta Force."

Caroline nodded, and then smiled at him.

"Well, that's all I have. Enjoy the celebrations tonight."

"Thank you."


	76. Chapter 76

During the flight back to New York, Jahmene, Finn and Rylan were huddled over Jahmene's laptop, watching and studying the competitors that were through to the next round.

In the girls category, the three girls who had made it to live shows were Ella (unsurprising), Jade Ellis and Lucy Spraggan. The three groups were Union J, District3 and MK1. Rough Copy had to pull out of the competition right before the judge's house round due to an issue with one of the member's Visa, which was unlucky for them and the show, but extremely lucky for other contestants. Rough Copy were serious favourites to do well in the competition, and without them, the others could breath a small sigh of relief. Finally the over 28s who were through were Christopher Maloney, Kye Sones and Melanie Manson. Other than Rylan, the only surprise in the competitors chosen was Christopher Maloney over Carolynne Poole, who was another competitor who made it to the judge's house round. Christopher Maloney was definitely a good singer, but Carolynne was better. However, Christopher Maloney was probably the public's favourite competitor, for reasons nobody knew.

"So, who are your final three, and why?" Rylan asked the two other guys.

"Do you mean who I think are the best singers, or who I think will make the finals? Because those are totally different questions." Finn remarked.

"Who do you think will make the finals?" Rylan persisted. Finn thought for a moment.

"Um… Rylan, don't take offense to this, but I think the final will be Ella, Jahmene and Christopher Maloney."

Rylan raised his eyebrow.

"Seriously? Like I understand Ella and Jahmene, but Chris?"

Finn shrugged.

"Think about the voters. Christopher Maloney has practically everyone over the age of 30's backing. He's going to be a crowd favourite, even if he isn't the best singer."

Rylan nodded.

"But anyways, literally anyone could win. All of the contestants are awesome, and if anyone has a bad week, their run could be over…"

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When the flight touched down in JFK, Finn, Rylan and Jahmene were escorted out of the plane by security. There was an even bigger crowd in JFK than there was in Dubai Airport, and the boys were hounded by at least a hundred screaming fans before they finally made it into the limousine. Finn still couldn't get over how many people wanted to meet him and get his autograph. Finn, Rylan and Jahmene spent a few minutes outside meeting the fans before going inside and seeing their hotel, the Corinthia, for the first time.

When they walked into the hotel, their mouths dropped. The place was like heaven! It was as luxurious as the hotel they had stayed at in Dubai, but this time, they would be staying there for 4-14 weeks, depending on how far they got in the competition. Rylan turned to Finn and Jahmene.

"This is home now, guys." He said. They smiled widely and nodded. They then walked over to the check-in desk, where they were given the key to their rooms. Finn and Rylan would be sharing a room, and Jahmene would get his own room. Finn didn't mind though. In fact, he would have rather shared a room with Rylan than have his own, as he knew that it was going to be an absolute blast. The three boys then got into the lift to the highest floor of the hotel, wheeling their suitcases behind them.

The 15th floor of the hotel was reserved for just X Factor contestants. It contained the biggest rooms, the fanciest rooms and had a couple of suites for any celebrities that stayed in the hotel. There was even a security guard sitting by the elevator for the contestants' safety. Finn, Rylan and Jahmene decided to see Jahmene's room first, as it was on their way to the other room. Jahmene scanned his keycard and let them into the room. They wolf whistled. Jahmene's room contained a huge king-sized bed, a large walk-in cupboard, a bathroom and a desk with an armchair.

"Wow. This is niiiice!" Finn remarked. "Now I really want to see what our room looks like, huh Rylan?"

Rylan laughed and nodded. The two of them raced down the hall to their room and unlocked the door…

The room was considerably bigger than Jahmene's, as it was meant for two people. The bathroom was around triple the size, there were two armchairs as opposed to one, two cupboards, but in the center of the room was two double beds that had been pushed together.

"Looks like we're sharing a bed." Rylan said. "What if you get me pregnant?" He joked. Finn groaned and laughed, pulling the two beds slightly apart. The two of them spent the next couple of minutes exploring the room. Rylan checked out the bathroom as Finn checked out the balcony. The terrace overlooked the Manhattan skyline, and it contained 6 chairs around a small table. It was really nice, and Finn knew that this would be a nice place the work on new riffs and song ideas. Suddenly, he heard Rylan shout from the bathroom.

"Finn! There's a phone and TV in the bathroom!" Rylan exclaimed, rushing out of the room. Finn chuckled to himself in disbelief. There was a TV in the bathroom! How had he gone from living in his 2 by 2 cell in Paraguay to living in a room fit for a king? Rylan noticed Finn's peculiar facial expression.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, concerned. Finn nodded.

"Yeah. This place is a million miles away from my place back home. I just feel so privilaged to be staying in a place like this."

"Well this could be our lives in the future." Rylan said. "So we gotta make the most of it."

"Damn right we do." Finn replied.

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The next day consisted almost entirely of makeovers and photoshoots. Finn had to have a spray tan, eyebrows shaped, complete wardrobe change and he even had to wear a little bit of makeup for his photoshoot. He felt such a girl and he hated every minute of it, but he couldn't argue with the results. He looked so amazing! He was practically unrecognisable from what he used to look like. His beard was mostly shaved, his hair was neatly trimmed and hairsprayed, and he was wearing a denim jacket over a hoodie. When he walked into the cafeteria and sat down next to Rylan and Jahmene, their mouths dropped.

"Finn! You look so different!" Jahmene exclaimed. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Good different?" He asked, nervous. Although the X Factor wasn't a modelling contest, the better looking candidates did tend to earn more votes, especially from teenagers of the opposite gender.

"Yeah, you look… hot." Rylan said, and Finn laughed and hit him on the shoulder.

Shortly later, Finn had ordered his food and a plate was set out in front of him by one of the cafeteria staff. It was incredible how people waited on them hand and foot like they were real superstars. As Finn ate, someone walked over to them.

"Hey, is that seat taken?" Ella asked, pointing to the seat opposite Finn.

"No, please, have a seat." Rylan said. She smiled and sat down with them. When she saw Finn, she raised an eyebrow.

"Um… I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who are you? You're not a competitor, are you?" She asked. Finn, Jahmene and Rylan burst out into hysterical laughter and it took several minutes for them to finally calm down. They wiped the tears from their eyes as Ella looked at them, confused.

"Do I seriously look that different?" Finn asked. Ella immediately recognised his voice.

"Wait… Finn?" She asked, tentatively. Finn laughed and nodded.

"The one and only." He replied.

"I'm so sorry!" Ella blushed furiously. "It's just… I… you look so different. I didn't recognise you!"

"Yeah, I noticed." Finn laughed. The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other. Although Ella was reasonably attractive, Finn didn't feel anything towards her. He knew that his heart would always belong to one girl. A girl he hadn't seen in almost 2 years.

That night, Finn, Rylan and Jahmene were doing a photoshoot for a local magazine when Nicole walked into the room. When she saw them posing for the cameras and joking around, she smiled with pride. She knew that she had chosen the perfect 3 candidates for the competition - all three of them had such unique styles and were so talented.

"Hey Nicole." Rylan waved cheerfully.

"Hey guys, how's your first day been?" She asked.

"Really good." They all replied.

"Wow Finn, I barely recognised you!" Nicole exclaimed, and Finn laughed.

"Yeah, you're not the first person to have said that. In fact, literally everyone I've seen so far today has said that. Do I seriously look that different?" He asked.

"You do, but in a good way. A really good way." She said, looking him up and down. "Anyways, I just wanted to give you guys a heads up about what's happening in the next few days. Nobody's going to start preparing for live shows. Instead, all of the finalists are going to be in the studio working together on this year's X Factor Charity Single."

"Oh is that the thing where we all release a cover of a song together, and all royalties go to a certain charity?" Jahmene asked. Nicole nodded.

"That should be a lot of fun." Finn commented. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, it is. And then after you guys finish that, we'll start working on your live show performances. But we'll also have a bunch of interviews, and a few more photoshoots to do. You'll be living just like real pop stars!" She exclaimed and the guys smiled widely.

"Yeah, this is incredible." Jahmene said, voicing all of their opinions with those simple words. It truly was an incredible experience, and Finn was NOT going to let it go to waste.


	77. Chapter 77

The next week was incredible for Finn. It was quite possibly the best of his life. The contestants had just finished recording their charity single - Read All About It by Emile Sande - and it had been released to the public that weekend. It had been the most streamed X Factor Charity Single to date, and all of the contestants spent the whole weekend at the Manhattan Mall signing autographs. It was the best feeling in the world to have his face on a CD cover of a song that he had actually sang in. The next step was now releasing a single, and hopefully, if all goes well in the X Factor, Finn would have his debut single out by the end of June. It was the end of September, so Finn still had time. He was flying high, but was about to come crashing down very soon.

On Wednesday evening, Finn was sitting in the studio, messing around with some song ideas. His fingers had started to hurt from playing so he turned on his phone to check his social media. Finn now had nearly half a million followers on twitter, and a million followers on Instagram, so he was constantly being sent messages by random fans. Finn tried to respond to as many people as he could, but he couldn't respond to everyone as there were so many of them. However, today, Finn had an eerie feeling that there was something wrong. As he turned on his phone and read the headlines, his mouth dropped.

**X FACTOR HOTTIE FINN HUDSON EX-CONTRACT KILLER!**

**FINN HUDSON TRAINED ASSASSIN!  
**

**X FACTOR CONTESTANT EX-MERCENARY!**

**IS X FACTOR FAVOURITE REALLY WHO YOU THINK HE IS?**

There were at least a dozen more headlines that were along the same lines. Finn put his head in his hands. The press had somehow found out about what Finn's job was in Delta Force, and they had written him to be some kind of monster. Someone who enjoyed killing people. Finn did not enjoy killing people. In fact, he despised it with a passion. Wait a minute… how had the press found out about his old life? All he had told them was that he was in Delta Force. He had never told them that he was an assassin, or that he had been hired as a mercenary by foreign countries!

However, his troubles didn't end there. When Finn went onto Instagram and Twitter, his social media was full of hate tweets.

 **Gronzoweldi** wrote…

You're a monster!

 **HaroldG** wrote…

You're an embarrassment to your country

 **DorothyJ** wrote…

You're the reason I won't watch X Factor

 **TrentON** wrote…

It's people like you that cause the world to go up in flames

 **Frank45** wrote…

YOU'RE A PIG! How dare you stand there acting like you helped our country. All you do is kill innocent people!

 **GarethGraham** wrote…

You have blood on your hands! You shouldn't be roaming here! You could use your power to yield a weapon and people would side with you because you wear that disgusting Uniform

There was more though. Along with all of the hate tweets, Finn had also received several death threats sent to his instagram as Private Messages.

 **Anonymous** wrote…

I will gut you like a fish and make you drown in your own blood.

 **DieFinnHudson** wrote…

I will wrap my hands around your neck and slowly choke the life out of you. And I'll make sure that the last thing you ever see is my smiling face, as I slowly drain the life out of you.

 **Anon** wrote…

I've got a shotgun and a shovel. You'll never be found

**SgtRonaldJenkins**

You're the reason my brother's dead. I swear to god… I'm going to kill you, if it's the last thing I ever do.

Finn couldn't read anymore. He slammed his phone down onto the table and took a deep breath. Ronald Jenkins. That backstabbing piece of shit. Finn remembered him instantly. It all dated back to the worst day of Finn's life.

_It was Finn's first week as Sergeant in the Special Operations Unit, and he already had a mission. Finn was nervous to say the least. Although he had been on several missions before as a soldier, this was the first mission in which he would be leading his platoon._

_Finn entered the briefing room, and a platoon of new recruits, as well as his lieutenant, were already there. Finn sat down at one of the chairs and listened intently to the lieutenant._

_"OK, men. We have a high-priority mission. I'm sure all of you are familiar with this man," he said turning the projector on. Abu Bakar Bin Asif, one of the leaders of the Talaban's, face filled the screen. Finn immediately tensed up. This was a huge mission, and one that they couldn't afford to screw up. As if reading his mind, the lieutenant turned to him._

" _Hudson, if you want, you can pass the mission onto another platoon. It is your first week as sergeant after all." He said. Finn shook his head._

_"No. I want to do this." He replied. "I've been training for these very situations for ages. So what's the game plan?"_

_"You are going to helicopter into the compound he's staying at. You're going to storm the compound and assassinate him. You are cleared for maximum engagement. Eliminate anyone who gets in the way, but try not to kill innocent people. He probably will be armed, and probably will have a child wearing a suicide vest. Make sure you take care of it. Finn is the in-field leader, but you'll have us in your ear the whole time. All that matters in this mission is that you take out the target."_

_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

_A couple of hours later, Finn clambered onto a helicopter, along with his platoon of nervous rookies. Finn's stomach was in turmoil, but he forced himself to stay calm, not only for himself, but also for the platoon of rookies who were on their first mission, and were incredibly anxious. They had not yet seen gunfire, not yet killed a man, not yet experienced any of the horrors of warfare. Finn almost felt sorry for them. Half an hour later, Finn and his platoon arrived at the compound, and they hovered over. It was 4 am, so the compound was dead silent. Finn and his recruits stealthily shimmied down a rope and they prepared to storm the compound. Finn silently mouthed and gestured to his troops._

" _3…"_

_They all cocked their guns._

" _2…"_

" _1…"_

" _Go… go… go."_

_The breacher blasted a hole through the door, and half of the troops stormed into the building, while the other half stayed outside, securing the perimeter. The minute they entered the building, Finn knew that something was wrong. There were A LOT of men pointing their guns at them. A hell of a lot more than they expected. Finn and his men immediately split up and dived for cover. They were spread pretty thin, and Finn dragged one of his men down next to him for cover: Private Ron Jenkins._

" _You okay?" Finn asked quickly. Ron shakily nodded._

" _What the fuck is going on?!" Finn screamed into his mic that was connected to the officers in their military base. A calm, collected voice entered the line._

" _Finn, we were fed bad intel. There are approximately double the hostiles we thought there were. We might have enough manpower to complete the mission, we might not. You have eyes on the situation. It's your call. Do we proceed or do we extract, possibly causing an international incident."_

_Finn's brain was working at a mile a minute, weighing up the pros and cons of proceeding vs extracting early. Finally he came to a decision._

" _We're continuing as planned." He said in a grave but stern voice. Ron Jenkins' eyes widened as he looked at Finn, but didn't dare argue with his commanding officer._

" _Affirmative." the Lieutenant confirmed._

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

As Finn tore himself away from the memory, he thought about how different his future could've been if he had just decided to extract his men. By continuing the mission, it caused the death of 18 of the soldiers in the platoon - Finn and Ron Jenkins were the only ones alive at the end - and one of the deceased was Ron's own brother Dave Jenkins. After the mission, even though they technically succeeded as the terrorist was confirmed to have been shot by Finn himself, the mission was far from a success.

Finn was forced to break the news to the families of all 18 of the deceased troops, and obviously, it didn't go down too well, especially when Ron told all of those families that Finn had the chance to abort the mission, but he didn't. Finn started receiving death threats from those families, so many that he ended up transferring to Delta Force. Finn had temporarily escaped from those people as he was completely covert, but now that he was back under the public eye, the threats had come back, along with a few more threats by people who think that all soldiers are monsters. After an hour of calls with his old commander, Finn understood that Ron had been promoted to a high enough level in the military that he had access to the classified files of Finn's time in Delta Force. With that information, he manipulated the facts to his own benefit, and to make Finn seem like a cold-hearted assassin, and he released them to the public. Ron had just been fired from the Army for doing this, but the damage had already been done. Finn's public image was over, and he had lost pretty much every vote he could've gotten in the X Factor.

Oh well, there was nothing he could do now. He peeked through the window of the recording studio, and he could see a HUGE crowd of paparazzi forming outside, presumably waiting for him. He sighed. He might as well face the crowds now. He wasn't scared of anyone following up on their death threats. If they had wanted to actually kill him, they would have done it way back when Finn was still in the Army. Now, they just wanted to scare him and it wasn't going to work. Finn stood outside the door of the studio, said a quick prayer, and opened it to reveal the crowds of Paparazzi.

"FINN! How do you respond to the recent press about you?" One of them asked.

"FINN! Were you actually an assassin, and are the other contestants safe with you around?" Another demanded.

"FINN! What made you become a mercenary, and what countries did you work for?" A young woman asked.

"FINN! How will recent discoveries affect your chances in the competition?"

Finn didn't care about the journalists; he could easily ignore them. It was the photographers and news reporters that bothered him the most. They swooped inches away from his face, and Finn had to barge past them to make his way to his car.

"Get out of my way." Finn spat as he stormed towards his car. Suddenly, Finn heard a question from one of the reporters that turned his head.

"Do you know who these death threats are coming from, and how are you going to react to them?"

Finn actually turned to face the reporters.

"Look, I know full well who the threats are coming from. All I can say is that during a mission while I was in the Green Berets, I was forced to make a pretty tough call. It was either retreat and fail the mission, or push on and face the risk of some of our men dying. I made the call for us to push on. 18 soldiers died due to that call, but we managed to complete the mission, possibly saving hundreds of innocent civilians from attack. 18 people who had voluntarily joined the army, knowing the potential consequences, gave their lives to save hundred of innocent civilians' lives. They were heroes to their country, and I ended up making the right call after all. However, the families of the soldiers who died didn't feel the same way. They said that it was my fault that their child, father, brother, cousin etc. was dead, and I had to pay the consequence for that. An eye for an eye so to speak. The dead threats piled up so high that I had to transfer away from my post in Afghanistan, and into Delta Force where I was NOT a cold-blooded killer, no matter what people say. Sure I was sometimes deployed on missions to kill someone, but every kill that I made was as a soldier was to protect my country from further harm, and to let ignorant civilians like you be able to walk freely. Every time I pulled the trigger and a bullet embedded in someone's brain, a part of my soul ripped away. I did NOT enjoy killing people, and whoever claims otherwise is a sick, demented pscycho."

Finn took a deep breath before continuing.

"You asked me how I'm going to respond to the death threats? Well, that's easy. Last time, when it got too much, I ran. I'm not going to do the same this time, not with the X Factor possibly being my lifeline into the music industry. I honestly doubt that anyone's going to try and kill me. They're just trying to scare me. But for all of you who are watching right now, and who sent the threats in, if you lay a hand on me or any of the other contestants, so help me god you will be drinking from a straw for the rest of your life, being wheeled around permanently in a wheelchair, and not being able to move at all."

At that, Finn barged past the hungry reporter, and dived into his car. His drive back to the hotel was a short one, made even faster by the millions of thoughts rushing through his head. What was next for Finn Hudson? Would he be kicked out of the competition? And even if he wasn't, he shouldn't wouldn't be getting any votes, would he? His short run at gold in the competition, and earning a record deal was certainly gone now. That light at the end of a long tunnel had been covered by an avalanche, crushing him to pieces. There was no escape.


	78. Chapter 78

"This is bullshit!" Santana screamed, pacing around the apartment and kicking over a chair in anger. She had obviously many articles trashing Finn, and it literally killed her to see such harsh, untrue words written about her best friend. She knew Finn better than anyone - well, anyone but Bella - and she knew that he wasn't a word of what people now made him out to be, and certainly did deserve threats against his life. Santana was one of the few people that Finn told about his mission in Special Forces, and she also believed that he made the right call. If he had pulled his troops away, that would have made the mission fail and kept one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world on the streets. One who they had suspicion of planning a terrorist attack on the U.S.A, and now had confirmed proof that he was planning that. Besides, all of the troops in the Army volunteered to enlist, well aware of the dangers involved.

Finn had been through more than anyone she knew, and he didn't deserve to be ripped apart and disgraced by the press who didn't know what they were talking about. Santana threw her phone across the room and she heard the glass of her screen shatter against the floor.

"Girl, calm down!" Mercedes exclaimed. Mercedes was visiting Santana and Brittany in their place in Pennsylvania, and Santana and Mercedes were sitting in the living room of the apartment, catching up. Brittany was teaching at the moment, but Santana had taken the day off to spend with Mercedes. Santana was now an extremely successful sales agent who was a free agent and was hired by various different large companies.

"But don't you see Cedes?! They're creating lies and dragging his name through the mud!" She exclaimed. Mercedes nodded.

"Yeah, I know. It's not good. But this is Finn we're talking about. He's overcome more than all of us combined. He'll get through this."

"No! You don't get it! Finn's the most anti-confrontational person I know. He runs away from everything. Think about it, when his dad became extremely abusive, what did he do?"

"Run away." Mercedes replied. "Yeah, but…"

"And what did he do when he found out about Quinn's baby?" Santana continued.

"He ran away from Glee Club." Mercedes murmured. "Santana, that's just…"

"And when his mom died, what did he do?"

"Run away." Mercedes grumbled, defeatedly. Santana wasn't finished yet.

"And when he started receiving death threats 5 years ago, what did he do?"

Mercedes' mouth dropped.

"He received death threats?" She asked, astonished. Santana clasped her hand over his mouth. She knew that she had said too much, but she couldn't backpedal now. She sighed, nodded and recounted the story about Finn's first mission as a sergeant, and the backlash that he faced from it, leading him to, once again, run away.

"You see, he always runs!" Santana spat when she finished. "But he can't run now, unless he wants to sacrifice his career. He's a sitting duck." She cried. Mercedes couldn't help but smile at Santana's rarely revealed softer, caring, motherly and overprotective side.

"Look Santana… while it's really sweet to see how much you care about him, there's nothing any of us can do. Finn's just going to have to bite the bullet and bare it. He might run sometimes, but he's endured a heck of a lot head on, and this'll have to be no different."

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The next day, Finn was up early, and he avoided interaction with pretty much everyone. The only person he saw was Rylan, and it was only for a brief few moments as Rylan was only just waking up when Finn left the room. The night before, Finn had received a text from Nicole telling him to meet her in the business lounge of the hotel. He assumed it was to talk about what had just been released by the media, and what he should say in his inevitable response. Finn walked into the room, and Nicole was already there. He sat opposite her.

"Hey." He said, quietly.

"Hi, Finn!" She said, giving him a hug. After a moment of silence, Nicole spoke.

"Look, Finn, I think we need to talk about the recent rumours and speculation about you. I just want you to know that even if those rumours are true, nobody here will judge you, and we're not going to kick you out of the competition."

Finn shook his head furiously.

"That's just it! The rumours aren't true! I'm being made to be some kind of blood-thirsty assassin. I'm not going to deny that I killed people. More than I'd like to admit. But I did NOT enjoy it. In fact, it made me feel like the devil. The only way I kept sane during these missions was knowing that everytime I pulled the trigger, it could save the lives of innocent civilians, possibly preventing another 9/11. Those were the kind of people I killed. And I wasn't an assassin by hire. I'll admit, occasionally I would be hired on a joint mission between the States and a different country such as the UK, France, Canada, etc. But it's not like I was an assassin that could be hired by the highest bidder. I fought for my country, and the citizens that I fought to save not only don't appreciate it, but they believe I should be dead!"

"What have people been saying?" She asked, gently.

"Um… just not nice stuff. I've also been getting death threats because of a decision I made 4 years ago. I mean, it's fine. I've gotten these threats from the exact same people 4 years ago. I'm not worried about them acting on it. The only thing I'm worried about is losing votes because of some asshole manipulating classified information."

"Look Finn, I don't know what you went through, but I know what it's like to receive death threats. Every day I wake up, and when I look on Google, there's something new going on in my life that I didn't even know about. You just gotta not read it, dude. I believe in you, Finn. I chose you for a reason. You're a star. I don't get what everyone's saying about you. You've earned your place to be here and I believe in you."

"Thanks." Finn replied, smiling faintly. "But you're not the one voting anymore. It's the thousands of people who aren't going to vote for someone they believe is an ex-assassin."

Nicole sighed. She seriously felt so bad for the boy. He had been through so much in the past, and the lucky break Finn thought he had was being destroyed right before his eyes. The worst part was that there was nothing they could do about it.

They spent the next couple of hours on the phone with Finn's old Commanding Officer, discussing with him what he could and couldn't release to the public as although Finn was being slaughtered by the press right now, he couldn't betray his country. Because the mission had happened 5 years ago, it wasn't really classified anymore, so both Finn and his CO were able to release the story in a statement to the press. They were totally honest and even spoke about the mission than caused the death of 18 recruits. This might have helped settle the rumours about him being an assassin, but it opened him up to another world of insults. He was said to 'not care about human lives, and was willing to sacrifice his men for the mission.' At least part of this was true. Finn DID care about human lives, but he also knew that in war, there are ALWAYS sacrifices. Finn didn't want to have to make another statement to the press, so he just ignored all future comments. Finn had gone from being one of the frontrunners in the competition to one of the underdogs in a matter of hours, and he was now extremely anxious about the first live show. However, it was now out of his hands. All he could do was to kick ass in the first week.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next time Finn was on live TV was a couple of days later, and it was for a much lighter reason. The Xtra Factor were doing a fun mini-game segment with the 3 boys and the 3 girls. The public had called in with various questions for the finalists, and the 6 of them would have to answer each and every question completely honestly.

The 6 finalists spent a whole two hours in the makeup room, greenroom and backstage. One thing that Finn was extremely thankful for was that his fellow competitors didn't judge him, despite all of the crap the press were saying about him. Finn chatted with Rylan and Ella as they waited endlessly for them and the others to be called on. The three had become extremely close over the past week, and sure Finn loved all of the finalists as he had gotten to know all of them and thought that they were all great people, Rylan and Ella were probably his closest friends.

"So Finn… you excited for the first live show?" Ella asked. Finn laughed and shook his head.

"You know, up until a couple of days ago, yes. But now, knowing that I've lost most of my votes before I ever sang a note and I'm going to be kicked out immediately? That just sucks."

Rylan raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, you're not going to be kicked out until at least halfway through the competition. Even if you make the bottom two which, by the way I don't think you will, there is still a singoff, in which the judges vote for the contestant that advances. The judges love you, and they're bound to pick you for going through. It's me that has to worry. If I'm up against you, I might as well pack my bags now."

Finn shook his head and laughed.

"Well we won't know until the first show so no point worrying about it, right?" Finn said.

"Exactly. You guys are both going to do great." Ella reassured them. They both laughed in her face.

"That's easy for you to say. You're the favourite to win the whole damn thing!" Rylan exclaimed, and Finn nodded in agreement. Before Ella could respond, a producer of the Xtra Factor walked over to them and told them to go on stage. They smiled and the 6 of them walked onto the set and sat on the long sofa, accompanied by the host, Olly Murs.

"Hello everybody! How are you all today?" He asked them.

"Good." They all replied.

"When do you guys start your preparation for live shows?"

"Um… we've still got like 3 weeks until the live shows, so we'll probably start preparing next week." Jade replied.

"Great stuff." Olly said. "Now, let's get right into it. I'm going to ask you some questions that the fans have submitted, and you guys have to answer them. Be warned, some of them are pretty personal."

The finalists laughed and clapped, waiting for Olly to read out the first question.

"Question number 1. Who here has talked their way out of a speeding ticket?"

Finn confidently raised his hand, and Lucy tentatively raised hers. Of course, the two finalists who were raised on the streets knew how to talk their way out of a ticket!

"OK, Lucy, you first." Olly said.

"Um… does it count if I've tried to but failed and ended up getting an even bigger fine?" She asked. Everyone cracked up laughing.

"OK, now we've gotta hear this!" Olly exclaimed. Lucy chuckled.

"Well, I was driving home from a friend's house one night, and I was going pretty far ahead of the speed limit because I was already late for curfew. The cop pulls me over and asks for my license and registration. Instead, I gave him a 'Get Out of Jail Free' Card from Monopoly that I keep in my wallet."

Everyone started laughing even more at that.

"OK, Finn, what about you? Were you able to talk yourself out of a speeding ticket?" Olly asked. Finn nodded.

"Well, first of all, before I tell my story, I would like to stress that I do NOT condone driving under the influence. It is a stupid thing to do, and it can have dire consequences."

"Wait, you were drunk too?" Jahmene asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I was 21, in the middle of my enlistment in the Army. Basically, a couple of friends and I were hanging out, and someone had brought some beers. I had like three and I began to feel a little light-headed. Normally, I would never drive in that state, but I had to that night. My girlfriend walked up and told me that she was late and she could be pregnant. Obviously we were both kinda freaked out, so we wanted her to take a pregnancy test ASAP. Problem was, we were staying in her parent's house and there weren't any pregnancy tests there. I ended up driving a mile or so to the nearest pharmacy to pick up a test, and on my way back, I was stopped by a cop. He immediately got the feeling that I was drunk, so he asked me to stand on one leg. I made the excuse that I got injured in Afghanistan while on Deployment, and the idiot bought it. He let me go."

Everyone clapped as Finn finished his story.

"Yes, Finn!" Lucy exclaimed, high fiving him. Finn laughed and put his head in his hands, blushing.

"OK, next question, who here has dined and dashed?"

Finn once again raised his hand but this time, he was the only one. Everyone looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously, Finn? That's illegal!" Jahmene exclaimed. Finn shrugged.

"When you're homeless, you don't care about that stuff. Hell, at least if you're imprisoned, you'd get three meals a day. Yeah, so I've dined and dashed a couple of times and I've shoplifted water sometimes."

"DO you regret that now?" Ella asked. Finn thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Honestly, in my circumstance, no I don't. I didn't go to some fancy place. It was at McDonalds. The waiter was preparing the meals and then calling out the meal number. I pretended that it was my meal, and I pinched it and left. Look, I wouldn't condone this normally, but I'd rather pinch ten dollars worth of food from a $150 billion company than die of starvation. I hadn't eaten in 2 days! And I was 10 for God's sake!"

"OK, next one. Who here's trespassed onto Private Property?"

Everyone raised their hands.

"No doubt." Jade said.

"No question." Jahmene said.

"Now, I feel like we're trying to be cool and pretending that we have." Ella pointed out and everyone laughed. Finn wasn't lying though. He went through a phase when he would literally be a squatter living in the attic of abandoned private property.

"Slept with someone and dashed?" Olly asked.

Finn and Lucy were the only ones ballsy enough to raise their hands, but they knew that everyone was probably guilty.

"Seriously? You guys are liars!" Finn exclaimed. "Well, Lucy, what's your story?" He asked. Lucy shrugged.

"It was pretty normal actually. We went back to his place. I climbed out the window before he woke up. Done-zel Washington."

"What about you, Finn?" Rylan asked. "Was yours an interesting story?"

Finn nodded.

"OK, again, what you've gotta know is that my mom had just been murdered, I was forced to run away from home yet again, and I was taken asylum in an isolated resort in Hawaii, with all of my friends hating me because they thought I had just ditched them. I wasn't in a great headspace to say the least. Basically, I would work as the singer on the resort, so quite a few of the ladies were interested in a night with me." Finn paused for a moment. "You know, I really don't want to tell this story because it's going to make me sound like such a dick."

"Come on! Tell us!" Jade exclaimed and they all encouraged him. "We won't judge you, we swear!"

Finn sighed and nodded.

"So yeah, I was a performer, living in a suite in the resort, getting unlimited free food and drinks. I would get flat out drunk pretty often. One night, me and a girl I had met earlier hooked up. I don't mean to be rude, and I swear I don't ever do this normally, but I was drunk and she was there. And in a bikini that leaves very little to the imagination mind you. We were sitting at the poolside bar, chatting and drinking A LOT. Anyways, we were too drunk to get back to our room, so instead, we found the nearest bed possible… the cabana."

The finalists groaned and laughed.

"There's more." Finn said quietly. "So basically, we had decided to do something kinda kinky. She wanted me to, and I can't believe I'm admitting this on camera, tie her up with the sheets from the cabana. I obliged, and we… you know. When we had just finished, we heard voices and we realised that it was already morning. Suddenly, I hear the voice of my boss, the owner of the resort, approaching. If he caught me, I would certainly lose my job. I had to quickly put on my clothes and run away before he saw me. One problem though. I forgot to untie the girl…"

Everyone started laughing hysterically. Finn's embarrassment and humiliation talking about the events made it even funnier.

"Then what happened?" Rylan asked, as tears of laughter streamed down his face.

"I don't know. I got the hell out of there before he saw me, and the girl was too drunk to remember what I looked like! The last thing I saw was her, naked, being untied by some of the hotel staff. Look, Julia, if you're watching this right now, I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry!" Finn said to the camera as his friends died from laughter.

"Anyways…" Olly said, struggling to keep the laughter out of his voice. "Final question. Who here has a phobia?"

Everyone but Finn raised their hands.

"OK, I'll start." Rylan volunteered. "I am very afraid of needles. Needles just scare the bejeezus out of me!"

"Me next." Jade said. "I'm claustrophobic. I hate confined spaces. Once, in high school, my friends locked me in a stationary closet. I actually passed out and had to be taken to the nurse."

"I'll go next." Jahmene said. "I'm scared of snakes. The way they slither. I literally have nightmares about being bitten by a snake."

"Dude, I love snakes!" Finn exclaimed. "They're literally the most fascinating creatures in the world if you know how to identify and handle them. I spent a month of my time in Afghanistan catching and milking venomous snakes to help make the antidotes. Snakes and Sharks are literally my favourite animals."

"You're so weird, Finn!" Jahmene exclaimed. Finn laughed and shrugged.

"But we love you for it!" Rylan added, putting an arm around Finn's shoulders. Finn laughed.

"OK, I guess I'll go. I'm so terrified of flying." Lucy said. "I literally had to take three sleeping pills just to get onto the plane for the judge's house."

"I hear you, Lucy. I'm scared of heights too." Rylan said.

"Ok, finally me. I'm kind of scared of storms." Ella said. Finn chuckled quietly and Ella raised an eyebrow. "Something amusing, Finn?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to imagine what would happen to you guys in the military. In one mission, I face all of your fears. We get vaccinated for certain diseases with a needle beforehand, then we usually fly to the location of the mission, then we skydive out of the plane at an extremely high altitude. Then, when we land a couple of miles away from the target, we're exposed to a host of different wildlife including snakes and spiders."

"Spiders? Nobody here's afraid of spiders." Lucy said. Finn turned to Ella and raised an eyebrow.

"Ella, do you have anything to reply to that?" He asked. "I seem to be remembering a certain event which happened at 3 am last week." He said, and Ella blushed furiously. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Ooh… I smell a story! Spill, Finn!" Rylan demanded.

"No, please don't!" Ella begged. Finn laughed and shrugged.

"Sorry, Ella. I've gotta tell them what happened. So basically, a couple of nights ago, Union J, Kye and I had arranged to play a late night poker game."

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up! You were playing without us?" Rylan interrupted. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Do any of you know how to play poker?" He asked. Nobody spoke.

"Touche." Rylan murmured in reply, and Finn chuckled and continued telling his story.

"The game started at like 2 am and we finished playing at around 3:30 am. I won the game, and the other guys had to me the money. I had left my phone in my room, and we were playing in Kye's room, so I had to walk down the hall to my room to get it. As I was walking down the hall, I saw Ella sitting on the floor with a blanket and pillow."

"Ella, why were you sleeping outside? It's not like you have a roommate that can evict you!" Jade exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"My thoughts exactly." He said. "So I walked over to her and asked her why she was sleeping outside. Apparently, there was a huge spider that she found in the room, and she was deathly afraid of spiders."

Everyone laughed and Ella looked down in embarrassment.

"Like snakes, I love spiders, so I went inside to kill it. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was no bigger than my pinky fingernail. I picked it up and, being a bit of an ass at three in the morning, I flicked it at her. I'm not kidding when I say this. I've seen warfare, and I swear that grenades are quieter than her scream then."

Everyone started laughing even more, and Ella still hadn't looked up at the cameras. Eventually she did.

"OK, fine. I might have a teensy fear of spiders." She admitted.

"Louder. Than. A. Grenade." Finn artificially coughed into his arm, emphasising the words. Everyone chuckled.

"Wow, thanks for that, Finn!" She exclaimed, hitting him playfully on the shoulder. Finn smirked back.

"I'm sorry, Bella. And I just hope and pray I make it to week 4 of the competition so I'm there for halloween. You haven't seen nothing yet."

Bella raised an eyebrow nervously.

"OK, now I'm scared." She said. Finn laughed.

"As you should be." He replied, winking at her. Olly interrupted them.

OK guys, it's been absolutely amazing having you guys here. I'm sure our audience got to know the contestants a little better today, but we have to wrap it up. Thank you so much for coming, and good luck in Live Shows!"


	79. Chapter 79

"Guys!" Nicole exclaimed, bursting into their room. Finn and Rylan were sitting in their room and jamming some songs along with Finn's guitar. It was 8 am, and they had the day off before live show preparation started.

"Hey Nicole! How's it going?" The boys asked.

"Good. I loved your interview the other day! You guys did a great job." She said.

"Thanks."

"Ooh… are you guys composing something?" Nicole asked. The boys laughed.

"Nah, Finn's just helping me put together a guitar cover of an existing song." Rylan replied. Rylan was trying to get as much singing experience as possible before live shows started, and singing in non-pressure environments like in their room really helped his voice come through.

"Which song?" She asked, curiously.

"Torn, by Natalie Imbruglia." He replied.

"Can I hear it?" She asked, excitedly. The boys nodded. Finn started strumming his guitar, and playing the chords of their cover of the extremely popular old song.

_I thought I saw a girl brought to life_

_She was warm, she came around like she was dignified_

_She showed me what it was to cry_

_Well, you couldn't be that girl that I adored_

_You don't seem to know, or seem to care what your heart is for_

_But I don't know her anymore_

_There's nothing where she used to lie_

_My conversation has run dry_

_That's what's going on_

_Nothing's fine, I'm torn_

_I'm all out of faith_

_This is how I feel_

_I'm cold and I am shamed_

_Lying naked on the floor_

_Illusion never changed_

_Into something real_

_I'm wide awake and I can see_

_The perfect sky is torn_

_You're a little late, I'm already torn_

_So I guess the fortune teller's right_

_Should have seen just what was there_

_And not some holy light_

_But you crawled beneath my veins_

_And now I don't care, I had no luck_

_I don't miss it all that much_

_There's just so many things_

_That I can't touch, I'm torn_

_I'm all out of faith_

_This is how I feel_

_I'm cold and I am shamed_

_Lying naked on the floor_

_Illusion never changed_

_Into something real_

_I'm wide awake and I can see_

_The perfect sky is torn_

_You're a little late, I'm already torn_

_Torn_

_There's nothing where she used to lie_

_My inspiration has run dry_

_That's what's going on_

_Nothing's right, I'm torn_

_I'm all out of faith_

_This is how I feel_

_I'm cold and I am shamed_

_Lying naked on the floor_

_Illusion never changed_

_Into something real_

_I'm wide awake and I can see_

_The perfect sky is torn_

_I'm all out of faith_

_This is how I feel_

_I'm cold and I am shamed_

_Bound and broken on the floor_

_You're a little late, I'm already torn_

_Torn_

_Oh, oh_

_Oh, oh_

**For the actual song, search Torn by Boyce Avenue, or click:**

[ **https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Cz9DnjbzU** ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Cz9DnjbzU)

When Rylan finished singing, Nicole clapped and cheered.

"Wow, Rylan, that was amazing! Your voice is really starting to come through!"

"Thanks Nicole!" He replied. "Anyways, did you have something to tell us? You came in like you needed to tell us something."

Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, be in the lobby in an hour. The finalists are competing in a mini game for the Xtra Factor."

"Another one? Didn't we just do the interview thing?" Finn asked.

"Oh no, trust me, Finn, you're going to love this one in particular. We're going paintballing!"

Finn couldn't help but smile. This was going to be good! Finn laughed.

"Wait, you're going to let me play? Is that really fair? I mean, I did serve 6 years in the military, and not to brag or anything, but I had the best close range marksmanship in Delta Force history."

"Ooh, big man thinks he's better than us?" Rylan asked. Finn shrugged.

"Look, you know I'm not an overconfident person normally, but marksmanship and military training is the one thing I can take pride in being good at."

"Well let your actions talk."

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Two hours later, all 18 of the finalists were gathered in the outdoor paintball arena, decked out in camos, a helmet and a paintball gun. Rylan, who was practically swimming in his overly large fatigues - although Rylan was Finn's height, Rylan was extremely skinny - walked over to him.

"Does this bring back memories for you?" Rylan asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, bad ones. The worst part of any mission is the anxiety in the wait before it. I'm just excited to let out some of my frustration out by shooting people with bullets that don't actually kill people. I'm going to kick some serious ass."

"Well, I just hope I'm on your team." Rylan laughed. Suddenly, all of them were called over by Olly and Caroline, who were also playing in the upcoming tournament that was being nationally televised on ITV.

"Hey everyone! How are all of you doing today?" Caroline asked them.

"Not good! These fatigues are so uncomfortable!" Jade exclaimed. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Well at least you don't have to wear them for 6 years!" He responded. Jade laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, thank god for that! I wouldn't enlist in the Army for that reason alone!"

"OK, contestants, listen up! We're splitting you into two teams in a draft format. Caroline and I are Team Captains. What we do every year is that whichever one of us captains loses, has to either shave their head bald, or dye it an outrageous color. So neither of us wants to lose."

"Who picks first?" Olly asked.

"Rock, Paper Scissors." Caroline replied. Olly nodded and they played a quick round, resulting in Olly winning.

"OK, I've won. I get first pick, and I'm sure you all know who I want. With the first pick of the draft, I want…"

"Finn." They all said together. Olly laughed and nodded. Finn walked over to him and they fist bumped. Honestly, Finn was all Olly needed to win the game. As the only ex-military contestant, Finn was the only one to have done actual marksmanship training.

"OK, thanks Olly. I can't say that was unexpected." Caroline said. "With my pick, I'm going to go with Lucy."

Lucy walked over to Caroline's side. The picks started to come in quick succession. Eventually, they had been split into two teams of 10. On Olly's team was Finn, Kye, Josh and Jaymi from Union J, Greg from District3, Charlie and Raheem from MK1, Ella and Jade. The rest of the contestants were on Caroline's team. The first round of the competition was a simple elimination game, with everyone getting 3 lives, and when they're shot three times, they're out of the game for the rest of the round. Finn knew that he had the game in the bag. Olly and his team stood together on one side of the arena, whilst Caroline and her team stood on the other. There were various obstacles in between them that they could hide behind such as flipped cars, fake tanks, storage crates and empty sheds.

"So Olly, what's the plan?" Ella asked. Olly shrugged.

"I don't know. Everyone do whatever you want and hope we win. That's been my tactic in the past."

"And Olly, may I ask, how many times have you won?" Finn asked. Olly coughed into his arm a word that sounded suspiciously like zero, and everyone laughed.

"Anyways, we don't need tactics. We've got Finn." Jade said, and everyone agreed. Finn shook his head.

"Woah, woah, woah. First of all, I haven't held a gun in almost 3 years so I'm going to be kind of rusty. Second of all, the other team is probably going to gang up and eliminate me, so don't rely on me."

"Finn's right." Kye said. "He might be our best player, but it is still going to take every single one of us to win."

If only that was the case. Within the first 5 minutes of Round 1, everyone in Olly's team but Finn had been eliminated. It was a 1 vs 5, and the odds were stacked against Finn. If he wanted to win, he was going to have to start getting creative. On the other team was Lucy, Jahmene, Chris, Caroline and Mike from District3, all of whom had just one life. Luckily, Finn had exactly 5 paintball bullets left in his gun. Every shot had to be perfect.

Finn knew exactly where each enemy was hiding, and as silent as a mouse, he tiptoed over and took cover behind a car, where he would have a good vantage point on any of them if they peeked out from behind whatever they were hiding behind. Caroline was the first to make a mistake. She raised a hand to scratch her head and adjust her helmet and Finn took the opportunity, firing a single round and hitting Caroline right in the hand. The bullet made a satisfying 'SPLAT' sound as it exploded into liquid paint and drizzled down her hand and onto her helmet.

"I'm out! He got me!" Caroline exclaimed. Now, it 4 on 1, and Finn still had all 3 lives…

The next person to peer out of their hiding spot was Chris. Because the man was really tall, Finn could see his leg poking out of his hiding spot. Aiming through the windowless car, Finn fired a round through the empty space where windows would be, and the bullet splattered on Chris' thigh. Chris swore and trudged out of the arena. 3 on 1. Finn now almost had the upper hand, and the other team knew it. Their best chance to eliminate him was for the three of them to charge together and all three of them shoot him at the same time. Mike, Lucy and Jahmene had barely left their hiding spots when they heard 'BANG! BANG! BANG!' and immediately after, felt bullets splat onto their helmets, almost exactly halfway between both temples. Suddenly, the buzzer rang out, indicating that Olly's team was victorious. Olly's team ran back into the arena, and hugged and high fived Finn. He had absolutely carried them.

The tournament was best of 3, so if Olly and his team won the next round, they would win overall. Once again, due to Finn's supreme skill, Olly's team reigned victorious, and were therefore triumphant in the competition. Finn had been his team's leading man from the word go, and in fact, he hadn't lost a single life in both games. The contestants clambered into the various SUVs that were waiting for them, and they were driven back to the hotel. Finn was in a car with Rylan, Ella and Jade, and the four of them were having an intense argument.

"You're insane, Rylan! The best food in America is the cheeseburger!" Finn shouted. Rylan shook his head furiously.

"No, it's pizza!" He replied.

"Pizza's Italian you dumbass!" Ella yelled.

"Not Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut is from Kansas!" Rylan exclaimed.

"You are all crazy! The best food in America is the hotdog!" Jade added.

"CHEESEBURGER!" Finn and Ella screamed.

"PIZZZZZZZAAAAAA!" Rylan shouted.

"HOTTTTT DOGGGG!" Jade shouted.

That went on for twenty minutes.

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When they arrived at the hotel, all of the contestants went back to their rooms and showered, before walking back downstairs to the hotel lobby. The hotel was really starting to feel like home to Finn, and it helped that he had the world's funniest roommate. The best part about being friends with Rylan was that their personalities were polar opposite - Finn was very quiet and intense, whereas Rylan was goofy, loud and hilarious - and Rylan helped Finn see a lighter side to life. When the two of them arrived in the lobby, everyone was already there, including the four judges.

"So, why'd you guys call the meeting? Are we doing something tonight?" Chris asked. Nicole nodded and smiled wildly.

"Yup, we just finalized the plans. We have three really fun options for you guys, and you can choose which you want to do."

After a quick pause, Jade raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what are they?" She asked, impatiently. Everyone grunted and nodded in agreement.

"So… the first option is you guys can do whatever you want tonight and we won't bug you."

"That's seriously why you called us down here?" Kye laughed. "To tell us that we can do what we normally do for dinner?"

"Patience, Kye, patience." Gary laughed. "Here's where it gets good. Your second option is… to go as a VIP to the NFL opening game between the NY Giants and Kansas City Chiefs!"

A few people, particular but not exclusively the guys, gasped and jumped out of their seats.

"Are you serious?" Finn asked, excitedly. Kansas City were his favourite team, and Patrick Mahomes, their Quarterback, was one of his heroes. Finn had never gotten to see an NFL game live before, and it was on his bucket list to see one before he died.

"Yup, and there's more. After the game, you're going to get to meet the two teams' players and you even get to have a throw around with them after the crowds have emptied from the stadium!"

Finn and Kye nearly fell out of their chairs in shock. They were by far the biggest football fans in the hotel, and they even had a bet on who would be winning the Superbowl this year: Finn bet that Kansas City would win, and Kye bet on the New England Patriots.

"Yeah, so that's option one, and I think Nicole's the only mentor going to that one. The other option, which Gary, Tulisa and I will be going to is we've got VIP tickets to the Broadway play Wicked, in which we also get to meet the cast members after the show."

Finn, Kye, both members of MK1, Josh and JJ from Union J, and Lucy opted for the football game, while the rest of the contestants opted for the Broadway play. As Rylan so poetically put it…

"I have no interest in sitting for 3 hours watching two gangs of dumbasses with zero brain cells bulldoze into each other like a game of reverse tug of war but without the rope." He told Finn. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Beats watching grown-ass men dress up in make-believe costumes, dance around, and sing weird songs for 3 hours."

"To each his own, I guess." Rylan said. Finn laughed and nodded. Finn quickly put on a fire engine red Chiefs sweatshirt that he brought with him to New York, and a pair of navy jeans, before walking down to the lobby to meet the rest of the people going to the game. It was currently 5 pm, and the game started at 7 so they had to get moving soon. All of them were decked out in their respective football team's merchandise, and were practically hopping around in excitement. Like Finn, none of them had been to a live football game either. The 6 contestants who were going were ushered into the limousine, and they were driven to the MetLife Stadium pretty quickly. Rather than going into the main entrance of the stadium like the rest of the fans, they were led into the building from the VIP section. They walked through the same entrance as the players, and they walked into the VIP lounge for refreshments before the game. Because it was the opening day of the NFL season, a lot of extremely famous people were present, including: ex-New York Giant Lawrence Taylor; actor Paul Rudd, who was a huge Chiefs fan; famous singer Katy Perry who was a Giants fan; and finally, most importantly, ex-Kansas City Chiefs player, and the best Quarterback to ever grace the game… Joe Montana!

It was so overwhelming for Finn to meet so many celebrities, especially ex-footballers who Finn idolised growing up. When he was homeless, watching NFL Sundays through the window of a nearby house was the highlight of his week. It was also crazy to see how kind and nice they were, despite the fact that they had the world at their feet. Finn bought himself a football in the Giants' gift shop and Joe Montana signed it for him. Wow, that was something Finn had never in a million years thought he would say. Speaking to Joe Montana, even if it was for just 5 minutes, was probably one of the best moments of his life. When the game was about to start, the 6 singers walked into the stadium and sat in their VIP reserved box to watch the game. Finn was seated at the end of the row, with Kye next to him. Kye was by far the nicest of the over 28s. Well, Melanie was a really nice person, but she had no similar interests to any of them. Chris and Kye were in their early-mid 30s, so were only like a couple of years younger than the other contestants, but Melanie was a 48 year old mom, so was double the age of the others.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Finn asked Kye. "Chiefs or Giants?"

Kye laughed.

"Chiefs suck." He replied. "Giants all the way."

Finn put on a face of mock anger.

"Excuse me?" He said. "Chiefs are Super Bowl champions. They have the best QB in the league!"

"Fourth best." Kye interrupted. "After Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson."

"That's crap. Brady and Rodgers are has beens, and Lamar is good, but Mahomes is better. Just watch the game and you'll see. I'm calling 3 touchdown passes!"

The game was an absolute nail biter. It was 28-3 to the Giants at halftime and Kye, along with the rest of the stadium, were insanely happy. When Kye and Finn went to grab hotdogs and nachos from one of the stadium's food stands, Kye was insufferable.

"So, your boy Mahomes isn't really showing up, is he?" Kye asked, smirking at Finn.

"Just wait. He's got something special up his sleeve, I know he does."

Sure enough, Finn was right. The Chiefs pulled off an incredible comeback, winning the game 41-39 with a last second field goal. Mahomes did indeed get 3 touchdown passes, and he also got one rushing touchdown, with the final touchdown being a rushing touchdown by their running back, Damien Williams. Finn was having the time of his life as he leapt in the air when the final whistle sounded. The majority of the stadium, who were Giants fans, were very unhappy, but Finn was in the small 10% of people who were Chiefs fans, and they were having a great time. Finn couldn't help but grin triumphantly at Kye, who had been suspiciously quiet since the Chiefs' last minute field goal.

"So Kye, what was that you said about Mahomes. 4 touchdowns on opening night, and yet he's the fourth best in the league?"

"Fine, third best." Kye grumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Fine, second best, but that's the best you're gonna get. Brady reigns supreme." He argued, unconvincingly. Finn rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Whatever. Now for the best part! We're meeting the players dude! If Patrick Mahomes signed my Joe Montana ball, my life is literally complete."

Kye laughed at his friend's excitement. He wasn't going to lie, he was slightly intimidated and afraid of Finn when he first met him, especially after all of the nasty rumours the press released about his past. But getting to know him, Kye released how kind and caring a person Finn was. Finn was practically hopping on the spot as they stood in the VIP Lounge, waiting for the Chiefs and Giants players to arrive. Finally, just when Finn was starting to get impatient, the players walked in…

Finn immediately spied Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, two of the Chiefs' star wide receivers, as they walked into the room. Tyreek Hill was the fastest player in the NFL and he was the kind of player that any QB, even a high school one like Finn, dreams of playing with. Still no Mahomes though. However, eventually, Finn saw Mahomes enter the room, and Finn was rooted to the spot in shock.

He was literally a couple of feet away from one of his all-time heroes, and it took Kye nudging him for Finn to be shaken out of his trance.

"Dude, go talk to him!" Kye exclaimed. Finn nodded, his hands trembling. The two guys walked towards the QB, Finn gripping his football tightly in his hands.

"Um… Mr. Mahomes?" Finn said, nervously. Mahomes turned to face them, and their anxiety levels instantly increased, but dropped as he smiled widely at them.

"Hey! Finn Hudson, right? And Kye Sones?" He asked, shaking hands with them. The two men nodded.

"Yeah, it's really nice to meet you." Finn replied. "You're one of my heroes!"

"Thanks, man. You guys enjoy the game? You look like a Chiefs fan."He commented, pointing to Finn's flaming red sweatshirt and his face-painted face. Finn laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, I am, since birth. It was an amazing game! Way to come back! It was sooo awesome!"

"I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Did you like being VIPs for the night?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, it's like nothing I've ever experienced before, and I'm just so honored and appreciative to have been able to experience it. I'm never going to forget today."

"I'm sure. My girlfriend's a big fan of your singing competition, and she was showing me some of the articles that have recently been written about you. You don't deserve any of that. You did the job that nobody else in America has the balls to do, and all of us at the Chiefs sincerely thank you for your service."

Finn was floored. He couldn't believe that his hero had such kind words to say about him! Not only was Mahomes an absolutely class football player, he also was such a great guy!

"Wow… um… thank you Mr. Mahomes. You have no idea how much that means to me, especially coming from my hero. Thank you so much." Finn stammered, still trying to regain his wits.

"In fact…" Mahomes continued. "Us at the Chiefs foundation wanted to give you a little something to show our support."

Suddenly, one of the workers in the stadium walked over to them, holding a large picture frame. Inside was a photo of the team receiving their superbowl trophy last year, and it was signed by every member of the team. Finn was handed the picture and he was speechless.

"Wow… I don't even know what to say. Thank you SO much. This means the absolute world to me. It means the absolute world to me."

"It was our pleasure. Just know that you always have our support, no matter what happens. And I know that you have all of our votes in the upcoming competition. Just stay strong, and whatever's thrown at you, you can deal with it. There's a light at the end of every tunnel, even if you can't see it yet."

"Thank you so much."

When Finn finally got into the car to drive home, he had a signed frame from all of the Chiefs players, a signed football by Joe Montana and Patrick Mahomes - the Quarterback of the past and the Quarterback of the future - and a phone full of selfies with him and the Chiefs players. This was definitely the best day of Finn's life, and he could only thank his lucky stars that Red forced him to go to that audition 3 months ago.


	80. Chapter 80

"Listen up, contestants. I have just received the theme for the First live show from the man himself, Simon Cowell." Gary announced to the 12 acts as they all sat in the hotel restaurant and ate breakfast. Finn was sitting with Ella, Rylan and Jahmene, and their heads all shot up when Gary spoke. The 12 acts had been wondering about the first theme for weeks now, and now was finally the time when they found out.

"Well, what is it?" Lucy asked.

"It is… Dreams."

Everyone either cheered, gasped or clapped. 'Dreams' was such a vague topic, and they could sing almost anything.

After breakfast, Live Show prep officially started. The next two weeks were a whirlwind of meetings with Nicole, rehearsals in the studio, and occasionally, rehearsals in the arena for soundchecks. Life couldn't have changed more for Finn. He was literally living his dream, and Nicole couldn't be happier for him. A fair bit of Finn's reservations were about the way that he looked - he wasn't very well-kept before coming onto the show - so the preening stuff definitely was like a fish out of water. Sure he was still receiving hate from a lot of people, but it had settled down slightly, and the show wasn't as scared for Finn's safety anymore. Although it might not look like it as Finn was famously bad at smiling, he could feel himself getting happier by the day.

Soon, it was 48 hours until the first live show, and nerves were as thick as concrete. To take their minds off of the upcoming event, Nicole and the boys had an interview with a national radio station and TV channel. Finn was starting to get used to his new life. It mainly consisted of singing, interacting with the public/press via social media or in person, and finally, having hair and makeup done in the studio in preparation for the live shows.

Finn, Jahmene, Rylan and Nicole gathered at the TV set at 10 am that morning, and they were bustled onto stage opposite the two presenters pretty quickly. The four of them sat on a long couch, and the presenters sat on two armchairs opposite them. Finn heard one of the producers say…

"Three, two, one and we're live!"

Suddenly, the camera started rolling, and everyone jumped into action.

"The countdown has started to the first live show on Saturday, and so far we've met Gary with the over 28s, and Tulisa with the girls." The female host, Sarah, said.

"Well…" The male host, Daniel, added. "Today it's the turn of Nicole and the boys. A fairly quiet, understated bunch this year. Here they are. Rylan, Jahmene and Finn, along with their mentor, the lovely Nicole Scheringer." Daniel said.

"Welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here today. Are you okay? Are you ready? Are you prepared for Saturday?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're getting there." Rylan replied. "Just about, anyways."

"And how confident do you feel, Nicole?" Daniel asked.

"I feel great!" She said. "They're three very unique individual artists and they're amazing."

"Um… from what I've read, you would have actually preferred to mentor the girls." Daniel stated. Finn, Jahmene and Rylan raised their eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" Jahmene laughed, glaring playfully at Nicole.

"Um… no. I mean, when I did the show last year, I wanted the girls as well. It's just because it's easier to work with the girls because I am a girl. But um… I have full confidence in these guys. I feel like all of them have what it takes to make it to the finals."

"Okay. So, Jahmene, how are you feeling about Saturday. Because I remember in bootcamp, you pretty much lost it slightly. I mean, you had to have medical attention! Your nerves really got the better of you there."

Basically, during bootcamp, Jahmene started to have a nervous breakdown, to the extent that he was pulled from the backstage area by medical staff right before he was meant to perform, and when he performed half an hour later, it was not nearly as good as the rest of his performances.

"I think there's a lot the show doesn't show. Like I was actually really ill that day, but I just got caught being nervous. Everyone gets nervous before the audition; I was just the one who was caught and ostracized because of it. But I think the traumatic part is over. It's the final 12."

"How are you coping now?" Daniel asked.

"Well it's fun now. It's just singing 100% the way it should be."

"Yeah, that's true." Sarah said. "And you always said singing is actually the best way you are able to express yourself."

"Yeah, it is. So this is my chance to prove myself."

"And Rylan. How are you? Because you're kind of like marmite now. People either absolutely love you, or they seem to hate you. How do you deal with that? And I know, like Finn, you've also received some unkind words over social media."

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I've read what people are saying to and about him, and compared to them, mine are like love notes. But it still doesn't feel great. I've been through exactly the same process as everyone else in the competition, and I'm so grateful to be part of the show and I'm lucky to get as far as I did. Sure I had a bit of a bad week last week, with all of the anonymous twitter insults, but Finn and I both had a lovely chat with Nicole, and she just said: 'you know what, rise above it. You're here for a reason.'"

"So, we've been looking at the moment Nicole revealed to you that you're through, and I have to say, it was pretty funny."

The story behind that was that after Nicole had revealed that Rylan was through to live shows, Rylan started sobbing hysterically.

"Oh god. Not this!" Rylan exclaimed, and they laughed.

"Are you the sort of person who reacts like this normally?"

"I mean, all I can say is that these guys live with me, they know exactly what I'm like off camera. And the sobbing during my reveal probably went on for an hour after we had gotten on the plane."

Suddenly, on the screen in front of them, the video of Rylan's reveal played, and they watched as Rylan broke down and fell onto the ground in his sobs. Finn and Jahmene were laughing hysterically as they watched back the video, but Rylan blushed furiously.

"I just want to point something out." Nicole said. "Did you see when he took the really expensive silk pillow and wiped his face with it?"

Everyone nodded and exclaimed in agreement.

"You know." Rylan added. "The hotel actually treated me last night and said that 'we have a cushion here for you. Can we have your address? We're going to send it to you. We can't use it anymore.' I thought they were going to send me the bill, but…"

"I just want to say that I'm really proud about how my two guys are handling all of the hate they're receiving on twitter, because some people are just being bullies, and everybody knows that it doesn't feel good to be bullied." Nicole piped in.

"Um… is it true, and I don't know whether this might be too traumatic for you, but were you once mugged by a fox?" Daniel asked, forcing himself to keep a straight face, but Finn and Jahmene were cracking up laughing.

"Yeah, you know what, it was my birthday, and I was walking home to my neighborhood in North Carolina, and I had my wallet in my hand. Don't get me wrong, I had had a couple to drink, but there was this fox on the wall. And I'm a bit scared of foxes, so I just hissed at it so that it would go away like they normally do, but this one pounced at me. It jumped at me, and I dropped my wallet, and it grabbed my wallet in its mouth and ran! And that was it. It was gone."

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Finn interrupted. "The other day, when you said that you had been mugged, it was by a fox, not a human?"

Rylan nodded.

"Wooooow!" Finn said, sarcastically, slowly clapping his hands. "You know, I thought when you said you were mugged, it was like when I used to get mugged when I was homeless, and it would be a scary dude with a gun!"

"How many had you had to drink, Rylan?" Sarah asked. "Are you sure it wasn't…"

"No, it was definitely a fox. It wasn't a small man in a fur jacket. I literally rang my credit card people and told them I have to cancel my card because I've been mugged. They said that I had to get a crime reference number first because I said I was mugged, so I called the police. They asked me to describe the assailant. I felt like such an idiot, and I could just hear all of the police laughing at me over the phone!"

Everyone laughed and then the reporters turned to Finn.

"Finn, if you hadn't gotten through, I would've been absolutely furious." Daniel said. Finn smiled.

"Thank you, man."

"You are one of my favourites. And how did it feel for you?"

"Um… it was a huge relief. Because as you saw on the video, Nicole kind of messed with me a little bit and said I wasn't through, and I had really just resigned myself to, you know, 'I'm going home.'"

"And, for someone your caliber of an artist, you seem constantly surprised, all the way through this process. That you keep getting through and keep getting yeses."

"Yeah, um… I think I've just got the right level of insecurity to keep my feet on the ground. And the competition just keeps surprising me. I grew up in pretty bad conditions, some of the stuff you guys know, but there's a lot you don't, and it's just incredible to be able to have this opportunity, and I don't want it to be taken away because of a big head."

"Well you've certainly lived a life. It's been pretty well published. The difficulties you had during your childhood, and during the military. But that in itself, I would have thought, has really given you that level of understanding, certainly how lucky you are to be where you are now, but also the emotion needed to perform."

"Yeah, absolutely. It's the ultimate sense of achievement, and I know that a lot of people in this country, particularly young kids, go through hard times, and that's what I represent as an artist. I want to relate to those people."

"Nicole, with someone like Finn, when you have themed weeks, how is that going to work with such a unique artist, who has very much his own style. Are you going to still let him do his own thing?"

"Well, what's so great about Finn is even though he loves playing, you know, acoustic songs with his guitar, he's probably the most versatile out of the three contestants. He doesn't really have a single kind of music he sticks with - he can sing anything I throw at him, and do a damn good job at it."

"So it won't hold him down?"

"Absolutely not." Nicole replied. "Nothing can hold him down. He's undeniable and unbelievable. I mean I've seen stuff that you guys haven't, and he's just such an incredible, versatile performer. And me and him already discussed the implications from the social media attack on him and his past, and how it affects his voice. Even if he's somehow in the bottom two which by the way I don't think he will be, we've arranged a killer song as his 'save me' number."

"Oh, I can't wait!" Sarah exclaimed. "Finn, what can you tell us about your first performance?"

"Um… I need to keep it as vague as possible, but when I was looking at songs, I was chatting to the other contestants and listening to their song choices. Most of them went with ballads and those kinds of songs. I went the opposite. My performance is more nightmares than dreams. I'm taking on one of my favourite rock songs. I'm going to be riffing a lot on my electric guitar. So yeah, it should be good."

"Well, thank you so much for coming in guys. We here at NBC wish the three of you the best of luck."

"Thank you."


	81. Chapter 81

This was it. Finally, it was the day of the first live show. The first day of the next chapter in his life. Possibly the most important day of his life. Finn felt queasy with nerves from the moment he woke up, and Rylan was no different. The two guys went down to the breakfast buffet that morning but neither had the appetite to eat anything. They were the two favourites to be in the bottom two, and this stung for Finn in particular as he had gone from being in the Top 3, to the bottom two. He couldn't let it affect him though. All he had to do was focus on his performance, and everything would turn out okay.

At around 4 pm, Finn and Rylan went to the hair salon, where they would be getting their final haircut and styling for the first live show. If it were up to Finn, he would perform with his hair the same as when he woke up, but Rylan dragged him to the salon. Finn was incredibly bored sitting in the barber's chair, and the lack of doing anything did not help his nerves one bit. At least he wasn't worried about getting a bad haircut, as the guy doing his hair was the U.S Barber of the Year last year, and was very qualified for his job. It's not like there was much that was needed to be done though to Finn's hair.

"So, how are you feeling about tonight?" The barber, Tom, asked.

"Nervous as hell." Finn replied, laughing. "Because it's not the type of song I would normally do. Hopefully, I'll deliver it in my own way, and it'll come across okay."

"You shouldn't be nervous." Tom said. "You've got an amazing voice. It's lovely."

"Thanks, man."

Two hours later, the contestants were all dressed and made up for the first live show. The greenroom, where they were waiting to go on, was absolutely silent, with everyone wearing earbuds and listening to their respective songs on repeat. Finn was set to be second on the program after District3, and he was thankful that he was so early on. He knew that it would make it even more nerve wracking to watch 11 incredible performances before performing himself, so he felt kind of bad for Jahmene, who also had nerves issues, but was performing last. Bad luck there. But Jahmene didn't need luck. He was probably the best singer out of all of them.

The finalists watched from the greenroom TV as the audience began to pour into the arena. There were probably around 10,000 of them present in the arena, but there were around a million people watching from the comfort of their homes. Eventually, when the audience had completely packed the arena, the host of the show - Dermott O' Leary stepped on stage, and the crowd roared, eager for the fun to begin.

"WELCOME TO THE X FACTOR! YOUR SATURDAY NIGHT STARTS RIGHT HERE!" He exclaimed over the crowd's cheering. "All right. We've missed you everybody. We're back on ITV 1. We have some very excited and nervous finalists backstage, and an even more excited audience here it seems! What an audience! The contestants have performed countless times in the past, but now it's time to perform in front of the nation, and in front of our 4 pop music moguls, who are to nurture, mentor and inspire the contestants, but at the end of the day, need to destroy the opposition with their words so that their own act wins. Playtime is over, kids. Ladies and Gentlemen… I give you the X Factor judges!"

Suddenly, the stage doors opened and the 4 judges walked on stage and stopped for a moment to be introduced by Dermott.

"Louis Walsh!" Dermott exclaimed, and Louis waved.

"Tulisa!" He shouted. Tulisa winked at the cameras.

"Nicole Scherzinger!"

Nicole saluted jokingly to the cameras that were broadcasting the show on National TV.

"And finally, Gary Barlow!"

Barlow simply nodded. The 4 judges then walked over and sat down at the judge's table, despite the fact that they wouldn't be judging at this stage of the competition - they would be merely commenting and giving feedback on each performance, and then it would be up to the audience to vote for their favourite act. Once the judges had sat down, it was time for Dermott to introduce the audience to the 12 X Factor finalists.

"Next, here we are with the X Factor finalists!"

The 12 finalists walked on stage together, waving at the screaming fans and listening to them scream the name of their favourite act. The finalists all stood in a line together, linking hands to show their unity before the fierce competition started.

"All right." Dermott shouted. "Already, there has been loads of tweeting and sharing about the competition, the judges' outfits, and Louis god awful hair, so if you haven't done already, get involved in that. Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Oh, and one more thing. You have told us that you don't like to hang around when it comes to voting, so this year, for the first time ever, the phone lines are open… NOW!"

This was a huge deal. Normally, the voting lines opened after everyone had performed, but this time, they had opened before the contestants even started singing.

"You can vote straight away to keep your favorite in the competition. Lines will remain open throughout the show, and will close tomorrow night. For a landline, call 090 20 50 51 and then add the number for your favorite. And for mobiles, call 6 50 51 and then add your favourite's number."

Dermott then walked over to the long line of finalists and started going down the list.

"So… to vote for District3, add 01."

The three piece R'n'B boy band received a relatively loud applause from the audience.

"To vote for Finn Hudson, add 02."

Finn got a very mixed welcome from the audience, as he expected. Around half of the room cheered wildly for him, and the other half booed him at the top of their lungs. All Finn knew was that it was going to be an interesting weekend, that's for sure.

"To vote for Melanie Masson, add 03."

Melanie Masson probably had the weakest applause yet. Although she was undeniably a great singer, she didn't appeal to any of the large groups of voters. For example, the two boy bands were the favourites of young teen girls, and Christopher was the favourite of many middle age and old people.

"For Lucy Spraggan, add 04."

Lucy had a pretty large fan base actually. Her funny original songs were a big hit with the audience. Finn glanced down the row at Lucy. She was very similar in style to Finn, so they would probably be splitting the vote. The same applied to the two boy bands.

"For MK1, it's 05."

MK1 had a completely different fan base to every other competitor. They had almost all of the votes from the people of the streets, as the music MK1 sang and rapped really appealed to them.

"For Christopher Maloney, it's 06."

Christopher probably had the biggest fan base of everyone. He had the votes of around 90% of the voters over the age of 30. He was a favorite to win, not for his voice, but due to his popularity amongst the viewers.

"To vote for Union J, add 07."

Union J were also favourites to go far in the competition due to their mass interest from the young female viewers. The boy band was made up of four attractive young boys who the girl viewers went crazy for.

"To vote for Jade Ellis, add 08."

Jade, despite having a beautiful voice, was probably going to be eliminated early in the competition. Most of the people who enjoyed her music would probably end up voting for Ella, as Ella was, beyond all doubt, a better singer.

"For Rylan Clark, add 09."

Like Finn, Rylan received a mixed welcome from the audience. The light hearted fans loved him, but the uptight fans who cared solely about the quality of the voice and not the whole performance hated him.

"For Kye Sones, add 10."

Kye waved at the audience. He had a moderately large fan base, and he would probably make it around halfway in the competition.

"11 for Ella Henderson!"

The roars and cheers when Ella was announced was deafening. She was definitely the fan favorite in the competition, and the audience made it known. It didn't lessen Ella's nerves though. She was still pale with worry.

"And finally, last but not least, for Jahmene Douglas, add 12."

After Jahmene's welcome, the 12 finalist acts trooped off the stage and prepared for their performances. District3 were up first, so while the rest of the competitors went back to the greenroom, they waited backstage and watched Dermott introduce them.

"Enough business, let's get on with the show. Tonight's theme is Dreams, and I know that I for one are bursting with excitement at seeing what our finalists have come up with. First up are the groups, so we go their mentor, one of the world's most successful music managers, the only and only Mr. Louis Walsh!"

"Okay, thank you Dermott!" Louis shouted over the audience's cheers. "First up tonight, we've got Greg, Mike and Dan, District3!"

The crowd erupted as District3 walked on stage, microphones in hands. They performed a superb cover of You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall and Oates, complete with a bit of choreography as well. The audience absolutely loved the performance. District3 had certainly set the bar high, and it was now up to the other finalists to meet them there.

After District3's performance, there was a short break where a surprise guest would be appearing on the show. None of the contestants had any idea who it was, so they were eagerly watching the TV in the greenroom. Dermott walked on stage after the break, a huge smile on his face.

"Welcome back to the X Factor!" He said to the audience. "Hope you're enjoying the show so far. It's still the early days, but already the acts have their eyes on the prize. They would love to follow in the footsteps of some of our great success stories. I'm talking about Leona (Lewis), Olly (Murs), JLS and 5 young lads whose name escapes me, but this year have gone stratospheric. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you an X Factor Global Sensation, 620 million youtube hits, 12 million album and single sales worldwide, it's ONE DIRECTION!"

The 5 members of the sensational boy band walked on stage to the applause of every single fan in the stadium. One Direction were one of the greatest success stories of the X Factor - getting put together during bootcamp two years ago, the group went on to make it to the final. But their journey didn't stop there. Their debut single - What Makes You Beautiful - easily topped the UK Singles Charts, and they were definitely heading for greatness.

"Oh, lads…" Dermott said. "Two years ago, you sang in this very competition, and now you're one of the biggest boy bands in history. What are your memories of the experience?"

"Um… the last couple of years have been absolutely amazing." Niall Horan replied. "I remember walking through those stage doors and it was such a nerve wracking feeling, but after the performance, it would be such a wonderful feeling."

"So I know you all watch the show. Who are your favourites?"

"Well, we all absolutely love Finn Hudson. I think he's unbelievable." Louis Tomlinson said.

In the greenroom, the finalists cheered and patted Finn on the back. Finn smiled to himself. If One Direction were voting for him, maybe others would too. And maybe he wouldn't be in the bottom two.

"And listen, you guys know how hard it is to get through this competition. The work really only starts today, and then leads on from now. What would you say to the finalists?"

"Um… I think the best thing I could say is to have a good time. There's obviously a lot of pressure on everyone, but you've gotta go out there and enjoy yourself."

"Thank you so much for coming in." Dermott replied. "We're all so proud of you. Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for One Direction!"

One Direction walked off stage, and Finn knew that it was now time for his performance. He was brought by one of the producers to the backstage area, where he was handed his electric guitar. Finn waited as Dermott and Nicole introduced him.

"Well, on with the show, the theme tonight is Dreams, and next it's the boys, so we pay a first visit to their mentor. She might come across as your really, really good-looking best mate, but she's anything but a pussycat on this show. Nicole Scherzinger!"

"I'm so proud to introduce this very unique and special artist." Nicole said. "This is Finn Hudson!"


	82. Chapter 82

" _I'm so proud to introduce this very unique and special artist." Nicole said. "This is Finn Hudson!"_

Finn's heart pounded like a drum. It was time. He forced his nerves deep down and locked them away, at least until the end of the performance, and he walked on stage, guitar in hand. There was currently a backout on stage so Finn was able to get into position unseen by the audience. Finally, the spotlight shone on him and he began plucking the opening riff to his song.

_Every time when I look in the mirror_

_All these lines on my face getting clearer_

_The past is gone_

_It went by, like dusk to dawn_

_Isn't that the way_

_Everybody's got the dues in life to pay_

After the first verse, the drum beat started to come in, along with the bass guitar, but after the second verse, they temporarily seized.

_I know nobody knows_

_Where it comes and where it goes_

_I know it's everybody sin_

_You got to lose to know how to win_

_Half my life_

_Is books, written pages_

_Live and learn from fools and_

_From sages_

_You know it's true, oh_

_All these feelings come back to you_

_Sing with me, sing for the years_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears_

_Sing with me, just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

Finn started randomly riffing and improvising on his guitar. The drums and bass provided him with a basic backing, but it was his fingers that flew around his guitar like he had done his whole life.

_Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

_Sing with me, just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream until your dreams come true_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream until your dreams come true_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

The next couple of seconds were definitely the hardest part of the song. He was about to attempt to hit the infamous high, falsetto notes of the song. The drums got louder and louder as he had, and when he sang the high notes, he absolutely nailed them.

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Dream on_

_Sing with me, sing for the year_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

_Sing with me, just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

_Sing with me, sing for the year_

_Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear_

_Sing with me, just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

_OH! the good Lord will take you away_

After a final short riff on the guitar, the music finally ended, and that was when the audience reacted. Finn's nerves were back now, and he was incredibly anxious as to how the audience and judges would react to his unconventional song. However, despite what he thought might happen, the audience put all of their personal differences against him and his past aside, and they cheered.

They cheered so loudly that it could be heard across the world. Feet stomped, hands clapped, people screamed. It was an absolute uproar. Finn felt a little bit better about himself and his performance at this point, and the only thing left was his feedback from the judges. Louis was first to give his feedback.

"Finn! From your very first audition, I knew you were different." He said. "This show's all about finding the next big artist, and I think we've found ourselves our next big recording star. You're going to go really far in the competition, Finn, and well done for rising above everything that's happened on social media over the past two weeks. That was a great performance, you should feel very proud of yourself."

Tulisa was next to give her feedback.

"I love you just as much now as I did during your first audition. You are a performer, you are a recording artist, and I tell you what, if there was space for a guy in my category, you'd be my first call. And those riffs you played! My god! You made it seem so effortless, and it was like the guitar wasn't an instrument, but an extension to your arm."

The audience roared in approval, and Gary prepared to speak. Gary was definitely the most critical of all of the judges so Finn was slightly worried about what Gary had to say.

"Finn, if I could just give you a little bit of advice as your BIGGEST fan." He said. "You came to this competition with bags of integrity and originality, retain it. Already, I can see that some of the edges are starting to be rounded off. Say no to your mentor sometimes. Disagree. Get your own way."

The audience booed. They had all loved Finn's performance, and weren't accepting any criticism about it. Finn was open to hearing the feedback though. The only way to become the best is to learn from the best, and Gary Barlow truly was one of the all time British greats.

"Gary, like what?" Louis asked.

"That track could've been harder!" Gary remarked.

"He made it his own, Gary!" Tulisa argued back.

"Look, don't take this feedback the wrong way, Finn. You are my favourite act outside my category 100%, and this is just a little bit of friendly advice. Your song choices usually shock me. You went with Tulisa's Young - we wouldn't have expected that. Then, at bootcamp, going with an original song was another gamble that paid off. Then, at judge's houses, the Robyn dance track was practically unrecognisable in your superb cover. But, singing Dream On during 'Dreams' week… I would've expected that."

"But he made it his own, Gary." Tulisa said again. Finally, Nicole decided to get into the mix.

"I actually loved that song because it's all about the guitar, and as all of you saw, Finn and guitar are just a killer combo. And you know what, forget the track, Finn, because you are better than the track. What's so great about you is that you take your heart and you throw it out there every single week."

After the judges were done with their feedback, Dermott walked back on stage to quickly ask Finn a couple of questions.

"Wow, two songs in and Barlow has already started. Don't be a grumpus, Gary! That was terrific!"

"Look, if you listen to what I said…" Gary said. "I'm actually giving him a really good comment there. I loved his voice, he's an incredible singer, but I feel like there could have been something more to his performance. Finn, please, stick up for yourself. Stand strong. And that's not just during rehearsals and song choice - off-stage as well."

Dermott then turned to Finn.

"So Finn, what do you make of that?"

Finn thought for a moment about how to answer. Now that he was a public figure on National TV, he couldn't just say the first thing at the tip of his tongue, as anything could be misinterpreted and used to sink him by the press.

"Well, obviously I'm going to take Gary's advice, because if he's feeling it, chances are some members of the audience are too. And I'd be stupid not to listen to feedback, especially given that it's coming from a guy who has 16 number one hits, so he clearly knows the formula for sucess. But I feel like nobody knows what goes on behind the scenes, and I made that song my own."

"Wow, that was very… diplomatic." Dermott commented, laughing. "Anyways, you've got the tattoos, you've got the guns, you've got One Direction backing you. Ladies and Gentlemen… Finn Hudson!"

The audience cheered as Finn waved and walked off stage. Once he was off, he literally jumped up and whooped in celebration. When he re-entered the green room, he was welcomed by cheers and shouts from the other competitors. After countless hugs, high-fived and fistbumps, Finn sat down to watch the rest of the competitors perform. Ella was by far the best, singing a breath-taking version of Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift. Jahmene was also a standout performer with his version of I Have a Dream by ABBA, and Lucy's version of Just a Dream was also superb. There were some incredible performers, and the audience definitely had a tough job voting for the best. However, they would be much, much easier off than the performers, who spent the longest night of their lives worrying and willing tomorrow to come faster, as the results show was on Sunday night. As Finn lay restless on his pillow that night, he went through all of the performances from earlier. All of them did a great job, but the most underwhelming performance probably came from Melanie, and Rylan didn't shut the haters up like Finn did. He still received a couple of boos from the audience. But it was definitely going to be a close in terms of the bottom two. Finn just hoped that he made the cut.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Before they knew it, they were back in Madison Square Garden, waiting for the results show to start. The audience were already present in the arena, and they were waiting for the show to start, chatting quietly amongst themselves. In the green room, the contestants waited, even more nervous now than they were before their performances because their fate was now out of their hands, and was in the hands of the audience. Before Dermott announced the results, there were a few famous singers that were coming to perform a song. Sure enough, Dermott walked out onto the stage moments later to introduce the first performer - X Factor sensation Leona Lewis.

"Welcome to the X Factor results show!" He exclaimed. "We are live on ITV 1, and backstage, the nerves are jingling and jangling. Your votes will save 10 acts, and send 2 into the final showdown. But, we've got some great guests here today as well. First up, she's been a contestant, she's been a guest judge, she's even won the damn thing, but now, she's back doing what she does best… singing on this stage. Leona Lewis is going to be here!"

The fans cheered wildly at even the mere mention of the former X Factor champion. Dermott continued over the noise from the audience.

"And also, he's one of the biggest R'n'B stars in the world. But never mind that. He's also Tulisa's mate. Neyo's going to also be with us!"

The audience also started screaming when they heard the name of the massive, platinum pop star.

"But first… round 1 last night, they came out fighting, they went home fighting, they woke up fighting. No guesses for what they're going to be doing tonight. It's the X Factor judges!"

The 4 judges walked on stage together, waving at the audience and staring daggers at each other. Even for the judges, the competition was nerve wracking as they all wanted their respective three acts to go through every week, but obviously, one act wouldn't. Once the judges had sat down, Dermott laughed.

"Oh yeah! They might be looking all calm and cocky now, but one of them is going to lose an act tonight. Lines are still open, but we're closing them later in the show. Your votes can guarantee your favourite a place in next week's show. You know the deal… the two with the least votes will have to sing again in a sing off for their survival."

The audience all cheered. First off in the program were all 12 contestants singing their charity single together, which had skyrocketed to Number 1 in the charts, and has been there for the past 4 weeks. There were even rumours that they might be making a music video for it, because of all the streams and buys the song has.

"For now though, our contestants are putting their rivalry to one side as we welcome to the stage, singing live, the X Factor finalists!"

**Kye:**

_I wanna sing, I wanna shout_

**Ella:**

_I wanna scream 'til the words dry out_

**District3:**

_So put it in all of the papers,_

_I'm not afraid_

**Finn:**

_They can read all about it_

_Read all about it, oh_

**MK1:**

_You've got the words to change a nation_

_But you're biting your tongue_

**Union J:**

_You've spent a lifetime stuck in silence_

_Afraid you'll say something wrong_

**Jahmene:**

_If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?_

**Rylan:**

_So come on, come on_

**All:**

_I wanna sing, I wanna shout_

_I wanna scream 'til the words dry out_

_So put it in all of the papers,_

_I'm not afraid_

_They can read all about it_

_Read all about it, oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

**Melanie:**

_Let's get the TV and the radio_

_To play our tune again_

**Jade:**

_It's 'bout time we got some airplay of our version of events_

_There's no need to be afraid_

_I will sing with you my friend_

**Christopher:**

_Come on, come on_

**All:**

_I wanna sing, I wanna shout_

_I wanna scream 'til the words dry out_

_So put it in all of the papers,_

_I'm not afraid_

_They can read all about it_

_Read all about it, oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

_Oh oh oh_

**Union J:**

_I wanna sing, I wanna shout_

**Ella:**

_I wanna scream 'til the words dry out_

**Finn:**

_So put it in all of the papers,_

_I'm not afraid_

**Lucy:**

_They can read all about it_

_Read all about it, oh_

**For the actual song, click** **watch?v=qTrzSKlldFc** or search **The Final 12 Read all About It X Factor 2012**

The contestants blew the song away, and the crowd knew it. If possible, their version of the song was even better than the world-class original by Emile Sande. After the song, the contestants stepped off stage, their nerves temporarily gone as they prepared to watch the two huge guest singers.

"Big performances last night." Dermott remarked. "Especially for an opening weekend. And now, it's time for one of our special guests for the night. Now, she really is special. Going from a shy young girl to a beautiful, confident world-wide star. It all began right here. With her new single, we're so very proud to welcome home Leona Lewis!"

Leona walked onto the stage and accepted the thunderous applause from the whole arena. She smiled as she reminisced about her time on the competition, so many years ago. She walked over to the microphone and the music started.

_You drink more than you used to_

_Fell in love how could you_

_Trust your heart like only fools do_

_Go on let it bleed_

_You smoked 10 now its 20_

_Bet you wish youd never met me_

_To stick around you must be crazy_

_Go on let it bleed_

_I told you never to get used to me_

_I stay awake when you fall asleep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

_I told you you should never follow me_

_But here we are, and youre in too deep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

_You shout louder than you used to_

_And you hold on tighter in the bedroom_

_Stick around like Imma change soon_

_Go on let it bleed_

_As you stand there tryin' to save me_

_Use your head and baby leave me_

_Gonna take much more than a heart to save me_

_Go on let it bleed_

_I told you never to get used to me_

_I stay awake when you fall asleep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

_I told you you should never follow me_

_But here we are, and youre in too deep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

_Run away now, turn your back on me_

_Youll be praying, for the strength to leave_

_I told you never to get used to me_

_I stay awake when you fall asleep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

_I told you you should never follow me_

_But here we are, and youre in too deep_

_Im a whole lot of trouble_

_Were in a whole lot of trouble_

The song was absolutely incredible. Finn remembered when Olly came to his house a couple of months ago and asked who he thought the best X Factor finalist ever was. The woman, singing not 50 feet away from him was definitely the right answer. The audience cheered and clapped for several minutes after she finished singing. She bowed to them, and then Dermott walked over to her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… Leona Lewis!" He exclaimed. "OK, first of all, Leona, congratulations on a beautiful single. You were a guest judge in L.A, where you said yes to pretty much everyone you saw. We loved you for that! And you said yes to Jade Ellis, who is actually here tonight. Are you impressed with her?"

"Yeah, she's amazing!" Leona replied. "I watched her performance last night and she looked stunning and she sounded amazing. I'm so proud of her."

"So the single's out, and there's a tour next year?"

"Yes, I'm going to be doing two dates at the Royal Albert Hall next year in May."

"Well we're so glad to have you here." Dermott said.

"It's amazing to be back. I'm so happy to be here."

"Ladies and Gentlemen… Leona Lewis!"

Leona walked off stage after her breathtaking performance, and the audience prepared to hear from Neyo next.

"So, you have been voting for the past 24 hours on behalf of our acts. Thank you so much. But lines are now CLOSED! Please don't call in now. It's too late for your vote to be registered so don't do it. Hey judges…" He said, turning to the judging panel. "Great show last night. Nicole, let's come to you first. Your first live show for us and there were 800,000 tweets last night, and #Finnguitargod was trending."

Nicole laughed.

"As it should have been." She replied. "You know it takes a LOT of skill to do what Finn did on his guitar whilst simultaneously singing."

"Well it's time for the second guest now. He's an immense talent who has written songs for superstars like Rihanna, Whitney, Beyonce. But then he started writing for himself, and he became a superstar himself. Here with his new single, 23 million singles sold worldwide, 8 million albums sold worldwide, 4 U.S Number 1 Singles, 3 Grammys, it's NEYO!"

_Much as you blame yourself, you can't be blamed for the way that you feel_

_Had no example of a love that was even remotely real_

_How can you understand something that you never had_

_Ooh baby if you let me, I can help you out with all of that_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_And all your trouble_

_Don't be afraid, girl let me help_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_A heart of numbness, gets brought to life_

_I'll take you there_

_Girl let me love you_

_Girl let me love you baby, oh_

_Girl let me love you_

_Girl let me love you baby_

_Girl let me love you_

_Let me love you, let me love you, oh_

_I can see the pain behind your eyes_

_It's been there for quite a while_

_I just wanna be the one to remind you what it is to smile_

_I would like to show you what true love can really do_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_And all your trouble_

_Don't be afraid, girl let me help_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_A heart of numbness, gets brought to life_

_I'll take you there_

_Girl let me love you baby_

_Girl let me love you_

_Let me love you, let me love you baby_

_Girl let me love you_

_Girl let me love you baby_

_Girl let me love you_

_Let me love you, girl let me love you baby_

_For every heart that beats_

_For every heart that beats_

_For every heart that beats_

_For every heart that beats_

_Heart that beats_

_Heart that beats_

_Heart that beats_

_Heart that beats_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_And all your trouble_

_Don't be afraid, girl let me help_

_Girl let me love you_

_And I will love you_

_Until you learn to love yourself_

_Girl let me love you_

_A heart of numbness, gets brought to life_

_I'll take you there_

_Girl let me love you_

_Let me love you baby, love you baby_

_Girl let me love you_

_Let me love you baby, love you baby_

"Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Neyo!" Dermott exclaimed one Neyo had finished singing. "Thank you so much. So you were guest judge in that big resort in St. Lucia with Tulisa?"

"Indeed indeed."

"So who has impressed you most this year? Has it been the girls, or a different category?"

"Well actually, my favourite act is MK1. I just feel like they are the most similar to the style of music I sing and enjoy."

"Hey, so listen. You're over now. You've got the album coming out soon, right?"

"Yes, yes. My new album is in stores November 5th. Make sure you go and pick it up!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the one and only Neyo!"

The audience cheered as Neyo walked off stage. After he was gone, Dermott turned back to the cameras.

"All right. After the break, it is the results… Ten acts are safe, two will proceed to a sing off, one will be eliminated. All happening in 5 minutes…"


	83. Chapter 83

"Welcome back to the X Factor! The result lines are closed and the results are in! It's time to find out who is safe and who is not! Let's welcome back the judges and their acts! Firstly, Tulisa and the girls… Lucy, Ella and Jade!"

The four ladies walked on stage together, hand in hand, and stood at the far left corner of the stage.

"Gary and the over 28s! Melanie, Christopher and Kye!"

The four of them marched on stage like they were about to be sentenced to an execution or something.

"Louis and the groups! Union J! District3! And MK1!"

10 people walked on stage together - the 4 members of Union J, 3 members of District3 and 2 members of MK1.

"And finally, Nicole and the boys! Jahmene, Rylan and James."

The four of them stood at the center of the stage amongst the other competitors, awaiting their fate.

"Ok, the public have voted, and I'm about to reveal the 10 acts that are safe from elimination and are definitely going through to next week's show. Good luck to everyone!"

Tension was palpable, and pretty much everyone on the stage was trembling with anxiety and anticipation.

"In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Kye!"

Kye leapt in the air with joy and hugged Gary - his mentor. Kye then walked to the side of the stage, where he watched and waited to see who else was through. All of the mentors and contestants politely clapped although inside, they were getting more and more worried. There were now just 9 spots left.

"Also through to next week's show is… Finn!"

"Let's go!" Finn shouted, overwhelmed by the fact that he was going through. Nicole, Rylan and Jahmene hugged him and then he walked to the other side of the stage to join Kye. names started to come faster and faster.

"District3!"

"Ella!"

"Lucy!"

"MK1!"

"Jahmene!"

"Jade!"

"Union J!"

There were three people left on stage - Rylan, Christopher and Melanie - and everyone knew that Christopher was probably going to be the final safe act, leaving Rylan and Melanie to battle it out. Not great odds for Rylan - he was going up against one of the strongest voices in the competition. The only reason why Melanie doesn't receive too many votes is that she doesn't really connect with a certain age group or gender in the competition, but that wouldn't be an issue when the judges voted for who goes home. Sure enough, the final name was read a moment later, and it was…

"Christopher!"

Christopher celebrated, but everyone was thinking and debating about who was going to win the upcoming showdown with Rylan vs Melanie.

"After the break, Rylan is going to take Melanie in the final showdown. Then, they're going to be at the mercy of our 4 judges." Dermott said.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Back to the X Factor results show. A couple of minutes ago, we found out that Melanie is going to be taking on Rylan. They will each be singing a song that they believe will keep them safe in the competition. Then, it's over to the judges to decide their fate. So, please welcome back Melanie and Rylan!"

Rylan and Melanie walked on stage together, and the crowd shouted the name of their favourite. Rylan was the fan favourite, but at the end of the day, this time, it doesn't come down to fans.

"Rylan will be singing first. Melanie come and join me please." Dermott said from the side of the stage, and Melanie quickly joined him. "Nicole, please introduce your act." Dermott asked.

"I can't believe that he's in the bottom two. I believe in him, I love him, I know he's going to sing his heart out right now. This is the gorgeous, fearless Rylan Clark!"

_You want all my love and my devotion_

_You want my love and soul, right on the line_

_I have no doubt that I could love you, forever_

_The only trouble is, you really don't have the time_

_You've got one night only, one night only_

_That's all you have to spare_

_One night only_

_Let's not pretend to care_

_One night only, one night only_

_Come on, big baby, come on_

_One night only_

_We only have 'til dawn_

_In the morning this feeling will be gone_

_It has no chance going on_

_Something so right has got no chance to live_

_So let's forget about chances, it's one night I will give_

_One night only, one night only_

_You'll be the only one_

_One night only_

_Then you have to run_

_One night only, one night only_

_There's nothing more to say_

_One night only_

_Words get in the way_

_One night only_

_One night only_

_One night only_

Although Rylan's voice wasn't the greatest, as it was established from the very beginning of the competition, he made up for it in enthusiasm and flair. Rylan was probably the best 'performer' out of all of them, even if he wasn't the best singer.

After Rylan finished singing, he bowed.

"Well done, Rylan!" Dermott said. "Melanie, please take your place."

Melanie and Rylan switched places so Melanie was by the mic and Rylan was at the side of the stage.

"Gary, introduce your act please." Dermott asked. Gary nodded.

"I'm devastated to be saying this. Please welcome back the supremely talented Melanie Masson."

_Where did you go when things went wrong baby?_

_Who did you run to_

_And find a shoulder to lay your head upon?_

_Baby wasn't I there?_

_Didn't I take good care of ou?_

_No no, I can't believe you're leaving me_

_Stay with me baby_

_Please, stay with me baby_

_Ooh, stay with me baby_

_I can't go on_

_Who did you touch when you needed tenderness?_

_I gave you so much_

_And in return I found happiness_

_Baby what did I do_

_Maybe, maybe I was too good, too good to you_

_No no, I can't believe you're leaving me_

_Stay with me baby_

_Ooh, stay with me baby_

_Ooh, please stay with me baby_

_Remember you said you'd always gonna need me_

_Remember you said you'd never ever leave me_

_Remember, remember, I'm asking you, begging you, ooh, ooh_

_Stay with me baby,_

_Please please stay with me baby_

_Stay with me baby_

_I can't go on_

_Ooh stay with me baby_

_I'm begging you, stay with me baby_

_Stay, stay, stay with me baby..._

After she finished performing, Rylan and Dermott joined her on stage, and Rylan and Melanie linked hands as a show of unity.

"Well done Rylan and Melanie. So, they have done everything they can, but only one of them can return to sing again next week. One of them will be leaving the competition tonight. That decision is in the hands of Louis, Tulisa, Gary and Nicole. I'm going to ask each of them who they want to send home tonight. In the event of a tie, we revert to deadlock, where we revert to the public vote. Judges, it's time to judge. Nicole, coming to you first. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Melanie, you are a beautiful and effortless singer and I respect your style, but obviously I have to stick with my boy because I do believe in him. So the act I'm sending home is Melanie."

"Gary, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Melanie, thank god you got to sing like that because that makes this decision incredibly easy for us judges. Rylan, I'm glad you learnt the trick that if you pull the microphone away, we don't hear your awful singing..."

Wow, that was harsh! The contestants watched from backstage. Although Finn had nothing against Melanie, he obviously wanted Rylan to win as a fellow boy and Rylan was his best friend in the competition. However, by the looks of things so far, Rylan was probably going to be the one going home.

"I'm truly happy to say that the act I'm sending home is Rylan."

1-1, and two judges left.

"Tulisa, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"The truth of the matter is that I absolutely love Rylan as a performer and as an entertainer. Every time he steps on stage, I am entertained. And with Melanie, I think she has an amazing voice, and the reason she's in the bottom is because there's so many other amazing voices in this competition. But at the end of the day, this is a singing competition so, and it truly pains me to say this, the act I'm sending home is Rylan."

"Ok Louis. Here's the situation… if you opt to send Rylan home, he goes home. If you go with Melanie, we go to a deadlock." Dermott said, turning to Louis.

"Melanie, I love your voice, and I love watching you sing. You've sung your heart out. Rylan, you're the entertainment factor. This is so hard. Um… the act I'm sending home is… this is really difficult! I love Melanie's voice, but I love watching Rylan entertain us! Um… I want to take it to a deadlock!"

"So, two votes each. We're going to a deadlock." Dermott announced. Gary turned to Louis, pissed.

"Why, Louis, why?" He snapped. Louis shrugged.

"I had to. I couldn't choose." He said, and Gary scowled and turned back to face the stage.

"So…" Dermott said. "The judges have failed to reach a majority verdict so they've lost their power to decide. We'll now revert to the earlier public vote. The one with the fewest votes will be going home."

Dermot opened the envelope and read the name inside.

"OK, Rylan, Melanie, this is it. The act who received the fewest votes and will be leaving the competition is… Melanie!"

As soon as Gary heard the name, he got up and walked off stage in an angry huff. He pushed the cameras away from him as he stormed into his dressing room.

Melanie, however, handled her defeat with much, much more dignity. Her and Rylan hugged, and she waved at the audience before walking off stage with Rylan.

Rylan was through! Finn was sad that a great artist like Melanie was out of the competition, but he was so happy and relieved that Rylan was still in the running. When Rylan appeared in the greenroom, Finn walked over and hugged him. He knew how crappy Rylan must have been feeling, but there was no time to dwell on the past. In less than 6 days, they were back on the stage singing their Week 2 song. Just before the night came to a close, the second theme was revealed… Love and Heartbreak.

So many options! Literally 99% of songs were written about those two very things. That night, after a small celebration with the other contestants, and a long call with Santana who had just watched the show and wanted to congratulate him, Finn fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, different love and heartbreak songs rushing through his head like rapids.


	84. Chapter 84

The next morning was a pretty subdued affair. Melanie's elimination was still fresh on everyone's mind, and the restaurant during breakfast was really quiet. The contestants sat and ate, before travelling to the studio to talk to their respective mentors about a song choice. Finn already had lots of possibilities in his head, and he wanted to hear some advice and suggestions from Nicole. Him and Ella shared a car on their way to the studio, but they were practically mobbed by paparazzi beforehand. Finn was back on top where he deserved to be - he was one of the dark horses of the competition, the favourite to win behind Ella and Jahmene. When Finn finally made it to the studio, he knocked on the door and entered.

Nicole was already there, and she hugged him when he walked in.

"Finn! That performance on Saturday was amazing! You nailed the song!"

"Thanks." Finn replied, sitting down. "I've had a couple of celebrities tweeting me about it, so that's always a nice thing to wake up to."

"Really? Who?" Nicole asked, excitedly. Finn loved how enthusiastic and caring Nicole was - it made her an amazing mentor.

"Um… so I got one from Jon Bon Jovi almost immediately after my performance. And then this morning, it turns out I also got one from Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Beyonce and Dwayne Johnson."

Nicole wolf whistled.

"Wow, that's some serious crowd! That's amazing, Finn!"

"Thanks." Finn laughed. "At least the press have kind of shut up about me."

"Wait, you haven't read?" Nicole asked, confused. Finn raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"What now?" He grumbled. Nicole passed him a number of newspapers, all of them having the same topic.

**Ella and Finn Get Very Close!**

" **When they're not joking around, they're huddled in a corner"**

**X Factor Ella and Finn's Secret Romance?**

None of this is true! Finn thought. Ella was his friend, probably one of his best friends. The two of them had so much in common, and they did spend a lot of time together, but Finn didn't understand why that had to be the X Factor romance, because it really wasn't.

"Wow… um, this is…" Finn's voice trailed off.

"Invasive? Rude?" Nicole piped in.

"I was going to go with untrue, but yeah, those things as well. Like am I seriously not allowed to hang out with a girl without it going in the papers?!"

Nicole laughed.

"Yeah, I feel your pain. Every single guy I'm seen out with, I'm automatically 'having a relationship' with them. It drives me mad too."

"I'm just going to ignore it. There's no need to release a statement about it. It's not like it's going to hurt my vote numbers."

Nicole smiled and nodded.

"Great! Look at you, learning the ways of pop-stars!" She joked. Finn laughed. "Anyways, what song are you thinking of singing? Do you have any ideas?" She asked.

"I don't know. I have quite a few ideas, but I want a really, really good one. Because this week's topic is so easy and vague, I know the standards are going to be astronomical. I want a song that shows my soul and emotion."

"Well, let's start with this… have you ever been in love before? Do you have a girlfriend? Is there an ex at least you can connect to."

"Um… no, I don't have a girlfriend. Yes, I have been in love before. We dated in senior year of high school, kept dating when I joined the army, then when I 'died', we broke up."

"When then, would you feel more comfortable singing a heartbreak song than a love song?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I feel like there would be more emotion if I sang a song about heartbreak."

"Cool. Do you have any suggestions? You know what you can sing better than me." Nicole said. Finn nodded.

"Well, I want to make a song completely unique and unrecognisable from the original. I feel like last week, although I did a decent job, it was pretty similar to the original. So I was thinking of maybe doing No More Drama by Mary J Blige."

Nicole smiled and nodded. She had a special surprise for Finn. Mary was an old friend back in the day, and Nicole knew that she could ask her friend for a favour…

"That's a great idea. Let's do it."

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"So do you think Finn's actually dating that bitch… I mean girl?" Bella asked pointedly, as her and Quinn walked past Madison Square Garden on their way to the subway station. Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"First of all, you don't know her, so you have no right to call her a bitch. Second, why does it matter, even if he is? You said you were over him."

"I am." Bella replied, unconvincingly. "And I'm happy for him, no matter who he chooses to date. I just think he's kind of rude that he flaunts his relationship in the National news."

"Um… I don't think he wants that. That's just the press being the press. And besides, they're not dating."

"How do you know?" Bella asked, curiously.

"Santana told me. She's like the only person still in contact with Finn."

Bella nodded, and she couldn't keep the happiness out of her face. Quinn noticed.

"Look, Bella, it's not shameful to just admit that you still have feelings for him."

Bella sighed and looked down, defeated.

"OK, fine. Maybe I still do. But it's not like I can do anything now, right? It's been 2 years!"

"Can I give you some advice?" Quinn asked. Bella nodded.

"Please." Bella replied.

"Stay out of his life at least until after the competition. The thing he wants or needs is getting distracted. After the competition's over, then approach him. But just… be careful. Santana said that Finn is not the same guy he was 7 years ago."

Bella nodded. She couldn't even imagine what Finn had to go through - it physically hurt her heart to hear about or think about anything bad happening to him. A month ago, when Finn was getting ripped apart by the press, it literally killed her. She decided. After the show was over, she was going to get Finn back…

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The next morning, the 11 remaining X Factor finalists were playing another mini game on the Xtra Factor. It was another game to get to know them, but because the upcoming week's theme was Love and Heartbreak, the questions were tailored towards that. Finn and the other contestants sat in the Xtra Factor studio, and they laughed as Olly and Caroline asked them various questions about themselves.

"First single you ever bought?" Caroline asked.

"Backstreet Boys. I Want it That Way." JJ from Union J replied.

"Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams." Finn replied.

"Axel F, Crazy Frog." Ella replied. Finn turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? That's barely even a song!" He exclaimed. Bella shrugged.

"I never said it was a good one!" She argued, and the contestants laughed.

"Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle." Jaymi from Union J replied.

"Would I Lie to You, Charles and Eddie." Kye replied.

"Sambuca by Wideboys." Rylan said.

"OK, the first gig you ever went to?" Ollie asked.

"Bon Jovi. I went with my nan." Jacob from Union J replied.

"Michael Jackson." Kye said.

"Chris Brown." Josh from Union J said.

"David Bowie." Christopher said.

"I've actually never been to a proper gig." JJ replied.

"Tina Turner." Jahmene said. "She was like 70 years old, and she was dancing like she was in her 20s."

"First slow dance?" Caroline asked them.

"High school. Senior prom. With my girlfriend."

"I've never done it! I've never had to go to a prom. I went to an all boys school!" Jaymi exclaimed.

"Freshman homecoming." Kye said.

"Sophomore homecoming." Josh said.

"OK, who are your celebrity crushes? Everyone wants to know." Ollie asked them.

"Pharell Williams and Rihanna." Charlie from MK1 replied. She was openly bisexual.

"Taylor Swift." Josh said.

"Halle Berry." Jahmene said.

"Rachel McAdams." Jacob said.

"Christina Aguilera." Chris said. Ella was next in line to speak.

"Well, I think we can guess yours!" Olly joked. "Is it a contestant?"

"NO!" Ella exclaimed quickly. Everyone laughed.

"Wow, please. Take your time." Finn remarked, sarcastically, and everyone laughed.

"Nicole Scherzinger." JJ said.

"Michele Keegan." Kye said.

"Catherine Zeta-Jones." Lucy said. Lucy was also openly lesbian. The great thing about the X Factor was how diverse the contestants were - but they all loved each other due to their common interest in singing.

"Channing Tatum." Ella said.

"Chris Hemsworth." Rylan said. "He's a snacc."

Everyone laughed.

"Lana Del Rey." Raheem said.

"It's gotta be Zayn Malik." Jade said.

"Um… mine's probably Jessica Alba." Finn said.

"OK, tell us about your first kisses." Caroline said.

"Mine was with one of my best friends." Jade admitted.

"I was about 8. And it was sloppy." Josh said.

"It was probably in the toilets in school." JJ said.

"Under the bleachers in high school." Jacob said.

"Mine was actually with a girl, and it was in Elementary school." Rylan said.

"Oh, mine was awful!" Lucy exclaimed. "He put his tongue in my mouth so far it made me heave."

Everyone groaned and laughed at the thought.

"OK, finally, what would someone need to do to kiss you?" Olly asked.

"If you wanted to kiss me, you'd have to either make me want to kiss you, or get me wasted." Finn admitted, and everyone laughed.

"You have to make me laugh." Kye said.

"Pinch my bum." Josh admitted.

"You'd have to brush your teeth." Jaymi said.

"You know, I've never actually had a kiss before." Jahmene admitted.

"Well, I feel like you won't have any trouble with that after the competition." Kye joked.

"Um… if you wanted to kiss me, you'd have to say can I kiss you." Ella said.

"OK, thank you very much guys. Good luck on Saturday!" Olly and Caroline exclaimed.

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Finn walked into the studio on Friday afternoon - the day before his big performance. He was pretty happy with the song, and it was definitely one of the better performances he had performed on the show. When Finn walked into the studio, Nicole was sitting at the desk, smiling at him.

"Hey." Finn said, sitting down.

"Hey, Finn. How's it going?"

"Pretty good. I think I have the song down now." He said. "I feel like it's a lot better than Dream On last week. I'm still really nervous though."

"I'm glad you like the song. I actually have a surprise for you, but first, do you have any questions or worries about tomorrow that I can help with?"

Nicole's concern for her acts went beyond the show. She genuinely cared about the three of them, and felt like a proud mama hen whenever she watched them perform. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, actually. I can't help but feel like a fish out of water doing the X Factor. What advice would you give me on how to feel more at home on stage?"

"Well you just need to pretend you're back in the sports bars singing."

Finn nodded.

"OK, now for my surprise. So basically, Mary's an old friend of mine. I love her. So I called her up and was like 'Mary, give my boy a call. He's singing one of your songs. Give him some inspiration.'"

Finn almost dropped the water bottle he was holding.

"Ex-excuse me?" He stammered. Suddenly, Nicole's phone rang and her face lit up when she saw the phone.

"Ah, it's her. Here, take it." She said, passing the phone to him. Finn was practically shaking when he answered the phone.

"H-h-hello." He said.

"Hi Finn!" Mary J Blige chatted into the phone. Finn couldn't believe it! He was talking to Mary J Blige! The X Factor never ceased to amaze him.

"How are you?" She asked him.

"Good." Finn replied. "Nicole literally just sprung this on me a couple of seconds ago. I had no idea I was going to be talking to you. I'm such a big, big fan."

"Awe, thank you so much." She said.

"I've literally got goosebumps talking to you." Finn said, and Nicole laughed at him from her seat opposite him.

"So, I think you know that I'm singing one of your songs tomorrow." Finn said. "Do you have any advice that you could give me on how to make it as good as possible?"

"Just sing the song like you want something to change in your life. I mean, Nicole was raving about you, Finn, so you must be amazing."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You are an absolute legend."

The call went on for a few more minutes before Mary had to go to perform on her tour in Canada. After the call, Finn hugged Nicole, and he left the studio shortly after. He had been given so much advice from Nicole and Mary, and he needed to take all of that in and go out and give the performance of his life.

Once Finn had left the studio, he went back to the hotel and started playing around with some original song ideas, ignoring the phone in his back pocket which was blowing up. Suddenly, Rylan rushed into the room.

"Have you seen it?" He asked. Finn raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Um… huh?" Finn asked, completely at a loss.

"Have you seen what the press have released about you?" He asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I know. They ship me and Ella. I don't care. Honestly, it could be a lot worse."

"It is a lot worse. Look at this." Rylan said, thrusting his phone at Finn. Finn read the headline.

**X Factor Favourite Comes From An Abusive/Suicidal Family. Read on For Details…**

Finn put his head in his hands.

"Oh my god…"


	85. Chapter 85

He began to read the article, his hands trembling.

_Earlier this morning, an anonymous source revealed that there is a lot more to X Factor favourite Finn Hudson than what he has told the public. Apparently, Finn Hudson, actually born Ronan Farrow, was the son of Canadian Armed Forces ex-Sergeant Jack Farrow. Farrow, aged 53, served three tours in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2004-2005). After his third deployment and the end of the enlistment, Farrow suffered from extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and refused treatment from medical professionals, causing his mental health to deteriorate. He became abusive towards both to Finn and Farrow's wife - Amy Farrow. Approximately 6 months after Farrow returned from enlistment, Amy Farrow was found hanging from a chandelier, having committed suicide._

_Jack Farrow's condition deteriorated further after the death of his wife. According to the anonymous source, Finn himself has said that his dad would 'beat him, whip him with a belt, burn him with cigarette butts, hit him with a baseball bat amongst many other brutal methods of torture.' Jack was also constantly under the influence of a lot of alcohol or drugs, which might have pushed him to do what he did._

_According to the source, Finn had told them that every day, he would wake up, thinking that he was going to die that day. One night when Finn was 7, he nearly did. Finn was grabbed by Jack and thrown into a glass table, shattering it and causing many shards to penetrate Finn's body. Finn was rushed to Toronto Private Hospital, where he was given 198 stitches. After Finn was finally discharged from the hospital a week later, he ran away from home, never to hear about his father again. That is until he reads this article._

_After Finn's sudden departure, Ronan's condition, if possible, worsened. Jack Farrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison, after being convicted of the rape of Sally Warbert (23). He served his time and after he was released, he finally got the mental and emotional help that he so clearly needed. He now dreams of being invited to watch Finn perform live in the X Factor, but that decision will be up to the X Factor competition, and Finn himself._

_Now, hopefully the public will have a better understanding of why Finn shaped into the man he is now._

Finn's mind was racing as he finished reading the article. He couldn't believe what he was reading. How had the press found out his deepest, darkest secret? That was personal information that less than 20 people in the whole world knew. And wait a minute… his dad raped someone?! If he seriously thought that Finn would let that… monster anywhere near him or his friends, the man was absolutely delusional. When Finn's body finally caught up with his mind, he stood up and looked at Rylan, who was eyeing him sympathetically.

"I need to make a call." Finn said, walking out of the room. Immediately, he took out his phone and dialed Santana.

"Finn…" She said, gravely, as she answered the phone. She clearly had read the article.

"Who was the source for that article?" He demanded quietly. Santana knew that Finn quiet-mad was so much worse and scarier than when he was yelling in anger.

"I don't know." She replied, but holding something back. Finn noticed.

"I'm not fucking around Santana. Who wrote the fucking article?" He shouted into the phone.

"I don't know!" She replied, honestly. "But I feel like I can take a guess."

"Who?" He asked.

"Come on, Finn. You were the one who taught me to not let my emotions prevent me from seeing the bigger picture. Think about it. Someone who might not have had as much success in life as they thought. And was forced to give up their dream to earn money, while you managed to achieve one dream in the army, and then another dream on the X Factor. Someone who has always thought that they were the best, and didn't appreciate it when you came along and outshone them."

Finn finally understood who Santana was talking about.

"Rachel? Are you sure? I haven't seen her in almost 7 years. Would she seriously stoop so low? Should I call her and confront her. What should I do? The show's in less than 10 hours and I'm FREAKING OUT, SANTANA! I'M FREAKING OUT!" Finn started to spiral.

"Finn! Calm down! And I'm already one step ahead of you. I called her, and she sounded hella suspicious. But don't worry about that now, worry about it later. Right now, you've gotta focus on the show tonight. Good luck! I love you!" She said.

"Love you too." Finn muttered and hung up the phone. He walked back into the room, where Rylan was waiting nervously. They were quiet for a few moments before Rylan broke the silence.

"Finn, I…"

Before he could finish his sentence, there was a knock on their door and a producer walked into their room.

"Boys, it's time to head down to the arena for hair and makeup…"

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Finn didn't say a word as he got his hair and makeup done. As he walked to the hair and makeup studio, he felt himself constantly looking over his shoulder, watching out in case his father found him. Finn felt like a heavy ball and chain was suddenly connected to him, adding to the already intense pressure he was feeling about the competition. And to top it off, he was feeling like crap. Weirdly, his chest hurt, and his arms and legs felt tingly, like he had pins and needles. Finn put it all down to nerves as he changed into his outfit for this week of the competition - a simple coat, trousers and a button down shirt. Finn was the first to go through the hair and make up studio, and make it to the greenroom. He sat in the normally packed room, and tried to calm his nerves down. Suddenly, the door opened and Finn looked up, expecting to see one of the other contestants. Instead, it was Nicole. She sat down next to him.

"Hey." Finn said, nodding at her.

"Hey. I heard about what happened. I'm so sorry. Has this been a really tough couple of hours?"

"Yeah, it just sucks that something I never thought I had to worry about is back now. I'm not scared of him. Frankly I kind of hope he tries to find me. I'll finally do and say to him everything I wanted to 20 years ago. But now, the fact that I have to constantly be looking over my shoulder, and be looked at and judged differently because of my past, it's just so much more added pressure to an already insanely stressful competition."

Nicole nodded and hugged him.

"You know, this song you're singing is the perfect song to come out with after everything that's happened. It's empowering, it's endearing, because you've come from such a dark past and you just want the constant probing by the press to end. Just know, I'm here for you, the show's here for you."

"Thanks." Finn replied.

"Here, give me a hug." Nicole said, and she hugged him before leaving the room to join the other judges. Soon, the other contestants started to file him. Rylan and Ella walked over to him.

"Finn…" Ella started but Finn raised a hand to stop her.

"Guys, please, not now. After the show. Please."

They nodded, and didn't say a word after that. They watched the TV in the greenroom as Dermott walked on stage, to the cheering and applause of thousands of fans.

"Welcome to the X Factor! Your Saturday night starts right here!" He exclaimed. "All right. We are live on ITV1. And as we discovered last week, on this show, anything can happen. We went to a deadlock, one judge couldn't make up his mind, another judge walked out, the first act left the competition. It's just another day at the X Factor office. Here's hoping that this week they don't tear each other apart. It's the X Factor judges!"

Tulisa, Nicole, Gary and Louis walked on stage, waving at the audience as they took their seats at the judging table. Once they had taken their seats, Dermott walked back on stage.

"There's still a bit of tension there. If looks could kill." He commented. "All right, judges let's talk about everything. So, last weekend… that was pretty tough, huh? Louis, what happened to you?"

"I just couldn't make up my mind, Dermott." Louis replied. "I mean Melanie was the better singer, Rylan's the better entertainer. I literally couldn't make up my mind. It was live TV. I was a deer in headlights."

"Louis, two words… NINE YEARS. Nine years you've been on this competition."

"I know. I was scared." Louis admitted.

"OK." Dermott then turned to Gary. "Gary, have we forgiven Louis yet?"

"Absolutely. It's a new day." He replied.

"Good for you. I haven't. NINE YEARS LOUIS!" He exclaimed, jokingly. Then, he turned to Nicole. "Nicole, Rylan needs to come out fighting tonight. Is he going to come out fighting?"

"Honey, he is in fighting form." Nicole replied. "It was a very emotional week for him last week, but he's coming out stronger."

Dermott turned to the final judge: Tulisa.

"You know, Tulisa, when it all started kicking off between Louis and Gary last week, I expected you to get involved. You're the one who normally kicks off at people."

"Well, I'm feeling calm. I have faith in my girls, so that's my main concern."

"So were you thinking last week 'I'm loving this, it's not about me!'"

Tulisa laughed.

"Something like that." She replied.

"Judges, how are you feeling tonight? Are you confident about your acts? Are you feeling good?"

"Yeah, very excited." Gary said.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the X Factor Judges!" Dermott exclaimed, and then carried on in the program for the night. "All right, a little bit of rivalry going on there. Let's not forget that this is still a competition. 11 acts remain, and you can vote for them instantly as lines will be open, starting from… NOW!"

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The performances went by achingly slowly. Finn was last on the program so as he expected, the time went incredibly slowly. Jahmene opened the show with a hauntingly beautiful mashup of Tears Dry and Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Then was Chris, with an average ballad of Alone by Heart. Union J were third, singing a jaw-dropping mashup of Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis and Broken Strings by James Morrison. Ella went fourth, stealing the show with her breath-taking cover of Lovin' You. Despite his nerves, Finn couldn't help but stop and watch as Ella absolutely owned the stage. Lucy's performance was completely contrasting, singing a light-hearted cover of Gold Digger. District3, Jade, MK1 and Kye all had average performances, not the standard of the rest of the group. Rylan's performance was hilarious - he sang a mashup of back For Good and Groove Is In the Heart. It was infinitely better than his performance last week, and he probably wouldn't be in the bottom two this week. Finally, it was time for Finn to perform. Ignoring the now throbbing pain in his chest that he assumed was just nerves, he followed a producer to the backstage area, where he was given a microphone. Saying a final prayer, he waited as he was introduced by Dermott before walking on stage.

He was greeted by thunderous cheers and applause, and Finn walked over to the mic stand to put his microphone on it. Even that simple task was extremely painful, as his arms felt like jelly. Forcing himself to stay focussed, the music started and he began singing.

_Broken heart again another lesson learnt_

_Better know your friends or else you will get burn_

_Gotta count on me 'cause I can guarantee_

_That I'll be fine_

Finn's opening to the song was pretty basic - minimal runs and ad libs. He was clearly obviously building to a big finale, but the audience would have to wait until the final chorus of the song for that.

_No more pain, no more pain,_

_No more pain,_

_No drama, no more drama in my life_

_No one's gonna make me hurt again, yeah_

As Finn built to the refrain, he was in a lot of pain. He started to feel a squeezing sensation in his chest, and the heaviness in his arms had become sharp, shooting pains. He forced himself to continue though. He couldn't stop, not when he was so close to finishing and the consequences of stopping were so dire.

_Oh, It feel so good when you let it go_

_Of all the drama in your life_

_Now you're free from all the pain_

_Free from all the games, free from all the stress_

_You find your happiness_

Somehow, the unspeakable pain Finn was feeling was making him a better singer. It added even more intensity to his performance.

_Oh, no more pain, no more pain_

_Oh, no more games to mess with my mind_

_No more, no more, no more_

_No more drama in my life_

_No one's gonna make me hurt again_

At the end of the song, Finn could barely hear himself think over the sound of the crowd blowing up with applause and screams. Finn was by far the best singer of the night and he absolutely blew the roof off. However, he couldn't relish in the cheers. His whole body felt like he had been run over by a bulldozer, and he wanted to get off the stage and get medical attention as soon as possible. But the judges still had to give their feedback, and Finn just hoped they were brief. Louis went first once again.

"Finn! That was powerful! That was emotional! You're a real artist, you've got real talent, that was a brilliant song choice. That could be a hit again! Your version was amazing. You have to get a record deal after this!"

Tulisa went next, and Finn silently urged the judges to hurry up.

"Finn, man, you've got this pain in your voice. It's like anything negative you've ever felt in your whole life built up to just letting it all out in that moment. I believe every single word you're saying. You're telling a story. And I know there are a lot of guys in this competition that are getting a lot of credit, even more credit than you. You are my favourite boy by far!"

Gary was third, and Finn hoped to god that the judges sped up their advice, despite the fact that they were saying such kind words about him.

"Finn, my god you can really, really sing. And you know what the great thing is about you? You have a lot of technique, you do, but you also pair that with emotion. That's the…"

Finn couldn't take it anymore.

"Sorry. I've gotta go." he said, dropping his mic and running off stage. The judges looked at each other, confused.

Just as Finn made it off stage, the pain took over him, and he collapsed on the ground, motionless…


	86. Chapter 86

After Finn had run off stage, the fans were so confused. What just happened? Was Finn okay? The judges looked at each other, just as confused as the rest of the fans. A couple of minutes later, Nicole stood up, about to go looking for Finn when a producer came running over him. Dermott quickly joined them.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Nicole asked. The producer shook his head.

"No, actually, it looks like he might be having a heart attack. He just got put in an ambulance and he's on his way to the hospital. He was unconscious by the time he was put in the ambulance, so it's presumed that the heart attack actually started before he even performed, and he performed while having a heart attack, which only made it worse. " The producer said, gravely.

"WHAT?!" Nicole shouted, jumping up. The rest of the judges were speechless in horror as well. "Is he going to…" Nicole couldn't even finish the sentence, but the producer understood what she was trying to say. He shrugged.

"Honestly, we don't know. Like I said, he was unconscious by the time he was put in an ambulance, so he was clearly in a lot of pain."

Nicole put her head in her hands. She couldn't believe it. It was probably the result of all of the crap he had received from the media, and the amount of stress that resulted because of it.

"Dermott, if you'd like to make the announcement to the audience, I think we should end the show here for today."

Dermott nodded.

"Wow, in 9 years on the show, I've never had to make this kind of announcement before." He said. Nicole nodded.

"OK, I'll be at the hospital. See you tomorrow." Nicole said, rushing off stage. The audience, who were none the wiser on what happened to Finn, watched Nicole run away, and were even more confused. Even the other contestants, who were still in the greenroom, had no idea what happened. Finally, their many questions were answered when Dermott took to the stage, a sombre expression on his face.

"Um… Ladies and Gentlemen! If I could have your attention please! We just got word about what happened to Finn. There's no easy way to say this. Um… he… he had a heart attack. He is currently receiving medical attention, and we ask that you all have him in your prayers tonight. His future is uncertain, not only in this competition, but it's also uncertain if he'll pull through or not. I think we're going to end the show for tonight, and we'll be back for the results show tomorrow, hopefully with good news about Finn's recovery."

As soon as Ella and Rylan had heard the news, they were on their feet and burst out of the arena, desperate to get to the hospital as soon as they could. They noticed Nicole running into a limo, and they dived in after her. Her eyes, leaking with tears, widened as she saw the two young adults scramble into the car.

"Guys! What are you…"

"Nicole, you're crazy if you think we're not coming with you to see Finn." Rylan said, matter-of-factly. Nicole nodded.

"Well I'm sure when he wakes up, Finn will be overjoyed to see you."

"If." Rylan muttered under his breath, echoing all of their thoughts.

"Come on, guys. We have to be positive." Nicole declared. "Panicking isn't going to help anyone."

They nodded, and a couple of minutes later, they arrived at the hospital, and they sprinted out of the limo and into the hospital building. As soon as they made it to the ICU section of the hospital, where the receptionist said Finn was, they were met by a doctor who walked out of Finn's private ward.

"Doctor? Is he OK?" Nicole demanded, nervously. The doctor nodded.

"He's in a stable condition now. He did indeed have a mild heart attack, but interestingly, it actually began this morning. His condition gradually worsened during the day, and during the song, it was particularly bad as he couldn't breathe. He was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital."

"But he's okay now, right?" Ella asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, he's fine. He's sleeping now. He's clearly been under a lot of stress, and combined with his anxiety and depression issues, that definitely didn't help. We need to keep him in the hospital until tomorrow afternoon, but then he can probably get discharged, provided nothing dangerous shows up in the tests we just run. However, I do request that he doesn't sing, at least until Tuesday."

Nicole, Rylan and Ella let out sighs of relief. Finn was okay!

"Look, you guys can probably go home actually. There's nothing to do here. We'll have more communication with you, Nicole, about his discharge after the tests come back about the exact cause of the heart attack."

Nicole nodded, and the three of them made it back to the hotel by around 1 am.

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Finn woke up the next morning in the hospital. He vaguely remembered being rushed to the hospital the night before, and the events from Saturday rushed back to him. He immediately started getting nervous. Had his performance been compromised? Would he be in the bottom two? His EKG Machine started beeping faster, and a doctor rushed into the room.

"Oh, good! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually. Infinitely better than yesterday, that's for sure."

"I'm sure!" The doctor laughed. "So, we have your test results here. You should be okay to be discharged this afternoon."

"Well, do you guys know what caused my heart attack?" Finn asked. The doctor nodded.

"Yeah, actually. It turns out you have a genetic heart disorder, that makes you more vulnerable to heart attacks when under immense stress or worry."

Finn started laughing.

"You have got to be kidding me! That can't be right!" He exclaimed.

"I assure you it is, Mr. Hudson." The doctor stated, calmly.

"No, you don't get it doc. I spent 7 years in the Army, two of which were as a prisoner of war."

"I don't know what to say, sir."

Finn thought for a moment.

"Wait, actually, if I'm being honest, I feel like I'm more stressed now than I was back then!"

The doctor chuckled.

"You just focus on recovery, okay? You're under orders to sit out on the group performance this evening, but you will be able to go on stage for the results show. But if you feel any discomfort, please come to the hospital immediately. Don't wait until you're unconscious like this time."

"You got it."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

A few hours later, Finn was discharged from the hospital, and got in a car to the arena. As he entered the building, the flashing lights of countless cameras blinded him, but he forced his way through the crowds and into the building. Finn was wearing the clothes he had been wearing the night before when he was admitted into the hospital and before he changed into a gown. He went to the makeup studio, where he saw Rylan and Ella chatting at the corner of the room. He walked over to them and tapped them on the shoulder. They spun around and when they saw him, their faces lit up.

"Finn!" Rylan exclaimed, giving him a hug. Ella hugged him too and Finn smiled. He was back among his friends, and was ready to embrace the coming weeks of the competition - provided he didn't get eliminated immediately. Finn's near death experience had given him a new found perspective - he needed to relax a little and become a bit less stressed. After all, he couldn't win the X Factor if he was dead.

"We were so worried about you!" Ella said, hugging him again.

"Thanks, I guess. I was literally so confused yesterday. I started feeling pain yesterday afternoon, after I read the article exposing my past, and it hurt like hell when I was singing. Did I do okay at the song? I don't remember much. I was literally just trying to just keep myself together and not pass out from the pain at that point."

"Well, you absolutely killed the song. You were by far the best contestant of the night. So are you getting pulled out of the competition or what?" Rylan asked. Finn's eyes widened. Rylan had a point. Would the competition really want someone with a high risk of heart attack to stay in the competition? Finn shrugged.

"I really don't know, dude." Finn replied. "I guess I'll find tonight or tomorrow. I can't perform with you guys tonight anyways: I'm just going to sit backstage as you guys do your group performance, and then I'll come on stage for the results."

Soon, the three of them went backstage to the greenroom, as they waited for the results show to start. Dermott walked on stage to the cheering of the audience.

"Welcome to the X Factor Week 2 Results!" He exclaimed. "All right, here we go. We're live on ITV 1. It's time to find out if Sunday night is going to be fight night again between the judges. Your votes are going to save 9 acts, and send 2 into the bottom two. Plus, an extremely talented member of our X Factor family is returning to perform tonight. Rebecca Ferguson is here!"

Rebecca Ferguson was the runner up on the show two years ago, and she was an amazing singer.

"And, coming all the way from the USA, we've got Taylor Swift here tonight! That is an incredible lineup. But first, ladies and gentlemen… I give you… the X Factor judges!"

The 4 judges walked out on stage together - giving each other death glares. Tension was even higher between the judges, and they sat at the judging panel, not even looking at each other. Once the judges had sat down, the contestants were called from the green room to perform their group number. Of course, Finn was made to stay behind, and he reluctantly sat on the green room sofa and watched the performance through the TV.

"Now, here they are… singing live… it's the X Factor finalists!"

The 10 contestants - everyone but Finn - walked on stage. Finn watched as they performed their group number.

_Now and then I think of when we were together_

_Like when you said you felt so happy you could die_

_Told myself that you were right for me_

_But felt so lonely in your company_

_But that was love and it's an ache I still remember_

_You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness_

_Like resignation to the end, always the end_

_So when we found that we could not make sense_

_Well, you said that we would still be friends_

_But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over_

_But you didn't have to cut me off_

_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_

_And I don't even need your love_

_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

_No, you didn't have to stoop so low_

_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number_

_I guess that I don't need that though_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

_Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over_

_But had me believing it was always something that I'd done_

_But I don't wanna live that way_

_Reading into every word you say_

_You said that you could let it go_

_And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know_

_But you didn't have to cut me off_

_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_

_And I don't even need your love_

_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

_No, you didn't have to stoop so low_

_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number_

_I guess that I don't need that though_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

_Somebody (I used to know)_

_Somebody (Now you're just somebody that I used to know)_

_Somebody (I used to know)_

_Somebody (Now you're just somebody that I used to know)_

_I used to know_

_That I used to know_

_I used to know_

_Somebody_

Their performance was decent. It wasn't nearly as good as last week's - but then again, last week they performed their charity single.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! The X Factor Finalists!" Dermott exclaimed as the 10 acts left the stage. "As you all probably noticed, one of our incredible contestants is missing. As we said last night, Finn Hudson did indeed have a minor heart attack, so he couldn't sing tonight with the other finalists. He is, however, in the building, and he is speeding to a quick recovery so hopefully we haven't seen the last of him on the show."

The audience roared with approval at the fact that Finn was okay, and every soul in the whole arena hoped that he recovered fast enough to stay in the competition. After this introduction to the show, the main event of the results show commenced…


	87. Chapter 87

"Well it's been a great night so far. Time for one of our special guests." Dermott said. "Someone who knows exactly what our acts are going through right now, because she's been through it herself. And she came out the other end as a star. Here with her new single, we are so proud to welcome back Rebecca Ferguson!"

Rebecca walked on stage - the same stage she walked all those times 2 years ago. She walked over to the microphone and started singing.

_I can't go along with it_

_You can say just what you like_

_But you still did it_

_You backtrack and change your act_

_At a hundred likes a minute_

_But fool as I am I won't go along with it_

_Am I confused, am I a crazy person_

_You say it's old news_

_She doesn't mean nothing_

_But don't you understand that I am heartbroken_

_No matter what you do_

_You just can't make it untrue_

_You're breathing lies_

_I want to believe in_

_When I'm watching you walk out the door_

_I could fall through the floor_

_But I can't go along with it_

_You can say just what you like_

_But you still did it_

_You backtrack and change your act_

_At a hundred lies a minute_

_But fool as I am I won't go along with it_

_Too much to lose and it's still raining_

_I know it's not a game_

_So I'll stop playing_

_But oh my heart's on fire_

_And it keeps burning_

_And I don't mean to cry_

_It's just the smoke gets in my eyes_

_You're breathing lies_

_I want to believe in_

_When I'm watching you walk out the door_

_I could fall through the floor_

_But I can't go along with it_

_You can say just what you like_

_But you still did it_

_You backtrack and change your act_

_At a hundred lies a minute_

_But fool as I am I won't go along with it_

_Let the battle drum start_

_I wanna turn back the clock_

_I wanna find the missing pieces_

_Of the whole love I lost_

_You say it like you mean it_

_And I want to believe it_

_Because I can't stop this feeling_

_But I can't go along with it_

_You can say just what you like_

_But you still did it_

_You backtrack and change your act_

_At a hundred lies a minute_

_But fool as I am I won't go along with it_

"Rebecca Ferguson everybody!" Dermott exclaimed after the song. The audience cheered and clapped for the former X Factor star. "Congratulations. Huge success. Now listen, two years ago you were on this stage. What are your memories about that?"

"Lots of nerves." Rebecca laughed. "It's a hard process."

"And listen, I know you watch the competition. Who are your favourites?"

"Oh god, they're all amazing!" She said.

"Oh come on! Give us an answer!" Dermott encouraged.

"Um…" Rebecca thought. "I love Ella. She's amazing. And Jahmene's really good too."

"OK, it's great to have you back. We're all really proud of you. Rebecca Ferguson everybody!"

Rebecca waved to the crowd and walked on stage. Next was Taylor Swift, one of the most well-known music stars on the planet.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you have been voting for the last 24 hours on behalf of all of the acts, thank you so much. But the lines are now CLOSED. Please don't call in now. It's too late for your vote to be registered. Hello, my wonderful judges. How are you all today?" Dermott asked them.

"Good." They all replied.

"All right. So last night, the talent was off the scale, the judging was off the scale, but I feel like all anyone could talk about after was what happened to Finn. Nicole, what are your thoughts about what happened, and what will the future be for Finn Hudson?"

Finn sat a little straighter in his seat in the greenroom, interested in what was about to be said.

"Well, I don't want to say much, nor do I know much about his future in the competition. All I can say is that he's under incredible stress because of all of the violations of his privacy that the press are doing, and that combined with preexisting mental health and genetic heart problems, he was a heart attack waiting to happen. So please, anyone here who works for the press, I beg of you… stop writing stories about secrets that he'd prefer to keep secret and just let him do what he does best and sing! Oh, one more thing… that man is a damn hero and a fantastic singer. Did you guys know that his heart attack actually started in the early afternoon, but he still held out for several hours and sang an incredible cover before he finally gave out?"

The crowd started clapping and cheering loudly. Finn smiled to himself.

"Well, all we can hope for is that we haven't seen the last of him in this competition." Dermott said. "So, Gary, it's pretty well-known that you're not a Rylan fan. Was there any part of his performance last night that you actually enjoyed?"

"Um…" Gary thought for a moment. "When he walked off stage, it was brilliant."

The fans in the arena all started booing him and Nicole, who was sitting right next to him, started booing in his ear.

"All right, our next guest released her first album at just the age of 16. 10 years later, she's become one of the biggest stars in the world. By the time she's 35, she'll probably be president. 22 million albums sold worldwide, 50 million song downloads, 6 Grammy Awards. It's the sensational Taylor Swift!"

The lights in the arena suddenly turned pale pink, and Taylor started singing.

_I remember when we broke up, the first time_

_Saying, "This is it, I've had enough"_

_'Cause like we hadn't seen each other in a month_

_When you, said you, needed space (what?)_

_Then you come around again and say_

_"Baby, I miss you and I swear I'm gonna change, trust me"_

_Remember how that lasted for a day?_

_I say, I hate you, we break up, you call me, I love you_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_We called it off again last night_

_But ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_This time I'm telling you, I'm telling you_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me_

_But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together_

_Like, ever_

_I'm really gonna miss you picking fights_

_And me, falling for it screaming that I'm right_

_And you, would hide away and find your peace of mind_

_With some indie record that's much cooler than mine_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_You called me up again tonight_

_But ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_This time I'm telling you, I'm telling you_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)_

_But, we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh yeah_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh yeah_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh yeah_

_Oh-oh-oh_

_I used to think that we were forever ever, ever_

_And I used to say, "Never say never"_

_"Huh, so he calls me up and he's like, I still love you_

_And I'm like I just I mean this is exhausting, you know_

_Like we are never getting back together like, ever"_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_We are never ever, ever getting back together_

_You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me_

_But we are never ever ever ever getting back together_

_(We) ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh (getting back together)_

_(We) ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh_

_Ooh, oh-oh, oh-oh (getting back together)_

_You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)_

_But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together_

"Taylor Swift Ladies and Gentlemen!" Dermott exclaimed over the roaring cheers of the arena.

"Thank you so much for having me. This is incredible!" She exclaimed.

"Our contestants right now are very, very nervous. But you've been recording since you were 15. Do you still suffer from nerves?"

"Yeah, about everything." Taylor replied.

"Seriously?" Dermott asked, shocked. "Well, I mean. It kind of helps that you have such an amazing audience."

"Well listen, congratulations on the single. It's a lot of fun. And the album is out when, and what's it called?"

"It's called Red and it's out October 22nd."

"Well, it was lovely to have you here. Ladies and Gentlemen… Taylor Swift!"

Taylor walked off stage to the applause of the 20000 people in the audience.

"All right, now it gets serious. After a short break are the results. 9 acts return to sing again next week, two will face the final showdown, one will be eliminated."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Welcome back to the X Factor results show! Lines are closed and the results are in. It's time to find out who is safe and who is not. Let's welcome back the judges and their acts! First up… Tulisa and the girls!"

Tulisa, Ella, Jade and Lucy walked on stage together.

"Gary and the Overs!"

Gary, Christopher and Kye walked on stage together. Melanie had already been eliminated last week so she was not among them.

"Louis and the Groups!"

Once again, a herd of people walked onto the stage as all 3 groups were still in the competition. There was only one category left, and they were announced a moment later.

"And finally, Nicole and the boys!"

Finn, Jahmene and Rylan walked on with Nicole. The chances of any of them being eliminated this week was pretty slim as they all put on great performances, but there were no guarantees. When Finn walked on stage, he was greeted by a frenzy of screams and cheers.

"OK, it's time for the results." Dermott said, pausing after to add suspense. "The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the 9 acts guaranteed a place in next week's show, and the two who received the fewest votes and will be singing in the final showdown. Good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act returning to next week is… Finn!"

The racket of applause and cheers Finn got was deafening. After being hugged by Nicole, Jahmene and Rylan, Finn walked over to the side of the stage, where the 'through' contestants were meant to stand.

"Also through to next week's show is… Lucy!"

That was expected. Lucy's performance was very memorable, as it was the most jolly and upbeat performance. She walked over to stand next to Finn, and the two of them hugged.

"The third act safe and definitely returning next week is… Union J."

Yet again, that was pretty expected. Union J's first week's performance was pretty bad, but this week's was infinitely better.

"Also through to next week's show is… Ella!"

Nobody had any doubts that Ella was going through. In fact, everyone was sure that she was going to make it to the finals. When Ella walked over to the side of the stage, she hugged Finn. The two of them didn't care anymore about the rumours of them dating. They just wanted to have fun in the competition and not be afraid to be who they are in fear of the press swooping down on them like vultures.

"The fifth act through on the public vote is… Jahmene!"

Finn cheered along with the rest of the audience as Jahmene took his place as one of the guaranteed safe performers.

"Also performing live again next week is… Christopher!"

Christopher received huge cheers, and Finn still had no idea why. Every week, Chris would just botch a different 90's ballad, and yet he was somehow the fan favourite. All Finn knew was that the minute Christopher was in the bottom two, he would most definitely be eliminated by the judges.

"The next act through is… District3!"

Unlike Christopher, they genuinely deserved their place in the competition. Their harmonies were dreamy, their voices velvety, and they oozed swagger. Finn clapped for them as they took their places at the side of the stage.

"The 8th act through is… Rylan!"

Finn cheered as Rylan ran over, relieved, to the rest of them. Finn and Rylan high fived, and they turned their attention back to center stage. There were now only 3 people left on the stage - Jade, MK1 and Kye - and two out of three of them would be competing in the showdown. There was just one final spot.

"The final act guaranteed a place for next week is… Jade!"

Tulisa now had all three girls through to the next round, whilst Louis had one of his groups and Gary had one of his Overs in the bottom 2.

"So, Kye will take on MK1 in the final showdown. The judges will decide on who goes through. Singing first will be MK1 so Kye, come and join me please. And Louis, over to you. Introduce your act please."

Kye walked over to Dermott, who was standing at the far corner of the stage.

"OK guys, singing their hearts out, it's Charlie and Raheem. It's MK1."

_Going back to the corner where I first saw you_

_Gonna camp in my sleeping bag I'm not gonna move_

_Got some words on cardboard, got your picture in my hand_

_Saying, "If you see this girl can you tell her where I am?"_

_Some try to hand me money, they don't understand_

_I'm not broke I'm just a broken hearted man_

_I know it makes no sense but what else can I do_

_How can I move on when I'm still in love with you_

_'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me_

_And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be_

_Thinkin' maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet_

_And you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street_

_So I'm not moving, I'm not moving_

_Policeman says, "Son you can't stay here"_

_I said, "There's someone I'm waiting for if it's a day, a month, a year"_

_Gotta stand my ground even if it rains or snows_

_If she changes her mind this is the first place she will go_

_'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me_

_And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be_

_Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet_

_And you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street_

_So I'm not moving, I'm not moving_

_I'm not moving, I'm not moving_

_People talk about the guy that's waiting on a girl_

_There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world_

_Maybe I'll get famous as the man who can't be moved_

_Maybe you won't mean to but you'll see me on the news_

_And you'll come running to the corner_

_'Cause you'll know it's just for you_

_I'm the man who can't be moved_

_I'm the man who can't be moved_

_'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me (find that you're missing me)_

_And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be (where on this earth I could be)_

_Thinkin' maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet (to the place that we'd meet)_

_And you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street_

_'cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me_

_(I'm not moving) and your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be_

_(I'm not moving) thinkin' maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet_

_(I'm not moving) and you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street_

_Going back to the corner where I first saw you_

_Gonna camp in my sleeping bag I'm not gonna move_

This was by far MK1's best performance, and Finn loved it. It was now up to Kye to step up to the bar that the duo had set.

"Well done, MK1. Gary, please introduce your act." Dermott said as Kye took to the stage.

"Okay. I am not sure what's about to happen. Kye's had the flu all week. He got through last night but he didn't have a voice this morning. Welcome back Kye Sones. Good luck, Kye."

_Turn down the lights_

_Turn down the bed_

_Turn down these voices inside my head_

_Lay down with me_

_Tell me no lies_

_Just hold me close, don't patronize_

_Don't patronize me_

_'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

_You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

_Here in the dark, in these final hours_

_I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power_

_But you won't, no you won't_

_'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't_

_I'll close my eyes, then I won't see_

_The love you don't feel when you're holding me_

_Morning will come and I'll do what's right_

_Just give me till then to give up this fight_

_And I will give up this fight_

_'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

_You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

_Here in the dark, in these final hours_

_I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power_

_But you won't, no you won't_

_'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't_

Kye had done a great job in his performance, and it was definitely going to be a tough decision for the judges. In Finn's opinion, MK1 was the superior act, but it was truly anyone's game. Kye's voice clearly wasn't 100% well, but he still managed to pull off a pretty good performance. After his performance, MK1 joined him center stage for the deliberation.

"Well done MK1 and Kye." Dermott said. "So… they have done everything they can but only one of them can return to sing again next week. One of them will be leaving the competition. That decision, as always, is in the hands of our four esteemed judges. We'll ask each of them who they want to send home. In the event of a tie, we'll go to deadlock where we revert to the public vote. Judges, it's time to judge and I need a decision. Louis, coming to you first. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Dermott, I am the mentor for MK1. I absolutely love Charlie and Raheem and I don't want to lose them. So the act I'm sending home is Kye."

"Gary, coming to you next." Dermott said, looking at Barlow.

"Well, that was one of the best sing offs I've ever seen on this show. Well done both of you. Kye, you were the reason why I wanted this category and I'm so sorry you're here. I'm sending home MK1 tonight."

"One apiece. Thank you judges." Dermott replied. "Nicole?"

"This is really hard for me because I'm such a big fan of MK1, and I love how relevant and fresh you are. But I've gotta go based on the performance I just watched, and I'll be honest, Kye, you're save me song was out of this world. So the act I'm sending home is MK1."

"Okay. Tulisa, coming to you. Here's the situation. If you opt to send MK1 home, they go home. If you opt to send Kye home, we revert to deadlock. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Um… MK1, from the second I saw you guys, you remind me of a lot of the people I worked with in the past. So you touch a soft spot for me and I've connected with your performances. Kye, that was an amazing performance, but I'm sorry… I'm sending home Kye."

"So, for the second week running, we go to a deadlock. The judges have failed to cme to a majority verdict so they've lost their power to decide and we're going to revert to the earlier public vote. The act who received the fewest votes is… MK1."

Dejectedly, MK1 hugged Kye, and stayed on stage for their exit interview. This was the first big exit in the competition, but to be fair, every elimination for the rest of the competition will be a big one. The weak have been weeded out, and now it's just the clash of titans.


	88. Chapter 88

The morning after, Finn woke up extremely early and decided to do a morning workout at the hotel gym. To keep up his shape from the Army, Finn worked out at least once a day, and always did at least 3 hours. When Finn went down to the gym, it was practically empty. Only two people were present in the whole gym - Samuel Green, the daytime security guard for their hotel floor, and surprisingly, Ella. Finn walked over to Ella, who had just gotten off the treadmill, and he tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around and smiled when she saw him.

"Hey." She said, panting heavily.

"Hey." Finn replied. "Since when do you work out at the crack of dawn? No, wait, let me rephrase that. Since when do you work out?"

"What can I say? It takes work to look this sexy!" Ella joked, twirling around. Finn laughed.

"Wow, someone's modest." He remarked. She giggled. What Finn liked most about his relationship with Ella was that although they were both straight, attractive people in their early-mid 20s, there was absolutely no sexual chemistry between them. It was like they were brother and sister. Finn then turned around and walked over to Sam, who was taking a break from hitting a punching bag.

"Hey Sam, what's up?" Finn asked.

"Not much." Sam replied, gruffly. Like Finn, Sam was also ex-military, but whilst Finn was in the Army, Sam was in the Marine Corps.

"You wanna spar?" Finn asked, pointing to the boxing ring that was in the center of the room. Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You serious? I mean, are you sure you could take me? You do look a little… fragile" He commented, not meaning any harm by the insult. Finn chuckled.

"Oh, ho! Fragile? Them's the fighting words. Let's go." Finn replied, tossing a helmet, a pair of MMA gloves and a pair of shin guards to Sam. Sam smirked and put them on, following Finn into the ring. Ella watched on with worry. What was Finn doing? He was about to fight a guy who used to be in the Marine Corps, and currently worked as a part-time security guard and part-time bodyguard.

"Are we going for hard sparring or light sparring?" Finn asked, as the two men touched gloves.

"Go hard or go home. That's my motto." Sam replied. Finn smiled and nodded.

"So are we going for knockouts and tapouts or no?" Finn asked.

"Sure, why not?" Sam shrugged. The two men stepped two paces back from each other, and then started sparring…

They were both ex-military fighters so they were both well-trained at hand to hand combat. However, as an ex-sniper, Sam clearly had much weaker leg strength and his left arm was much stronger than the right due to having to stop the kickback of his rifle. Finn used this to his advantage, sticking to Sam's right. Although Sam had a bit of a size advantage - he was 6'5 and close to 250 pounds, Finn was the superior fighter. He had so much experience in hand to hand combat from his Delta Force days that he absolutely dominated the sparring match. The two men lithely darted around the ring, exchanging blows that echoed around the room. With every blow that connected with Finn's face, Ella winced in sympathetic pain, but Finn remained unfazed. Throughout the time they were sparring, several contestants walked into the gym to work out, and simply just watched the two behemoths exchanging clubbing blows. By the end of the fight, all four members of Union J, Ella, Kye and Jade had all come down to the gym to workout but were just watching the fight. Eventually, almost fifteen minutes after they started, Sam threw off his helmet.

"I'm done!" Sam exclaimed. "You win!"

Finn took off his helmet as well, exposing a large slice on the side of his face, which he dabbed with a towel. The other contestants were still getting over what they had just witnessed. Finn had just taken on their massive security guard, and won the fight.

"Kid, you're a really good fighter. Where did you learn that?" He asked. Finn laughed.

"Well I was a close combat fighter in the most elite military unit in the world, so I kind of know how to spar." Finn replied. Sam's eyes widened.

"You couldn't have told me that before the fight?" He exclaimed. "I never would have agreed to the fight if I knew that!"

"Hey, come on, it was a good workout! And I wasn't about to injure you. I have self control."

"Gee, thanks." Sam replied, rolling his eyes. At that moment, Finn walked away and Ella quickly walked over to him.

"Wow, Finn… that was…"

"Grotesque, unsettling?" Finn suggested.

"Awesome!" She exclaimed. "The way you have him the one, two? You had a guy 50 pounds heavier than you crawling at your feet."

Finn laughed and rolled his eyes. He had certainly gotten his workout for today.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

A couple of hours later, Finn walked into the studio, where Nicole was waiting for him so they could discuss his future in the competition, and whether he would have to be withdrawn from the competition. Finn was extremely nervous - his hands shook slightly as he opened the door. Nicole smiled kindly at him when he walked in, but she raised an eyebrow a moment later, questioningly.

"What?" Finn asked, confused. "Do I have a bug on me or something?"

"Did you get into a fight with someone?" She asked, straight-up. "Your left eye, it's black."

Finn looked in the mirror and shrugged.

"Oh yeah, I guess it is. I got into a fight with Sam the security guard."

"What? Why?" Nicole asked, even more confused. Finn then realised what he had just said, and what it sounded like to Nicole.

"Oh, no, no, no! Not an actual fight! We sparred in the gym this morning." Finn explained, and realisation flooded into Nicole's face.

"Ohhhh, thank god. I thought you beat up a paparazzi member or something! Not that they wouldn't have it coming though."

Nicole started getting a bit off track, talking about paparazzi and her various run-ins with them.

"Um… Nicole. I think you might be getting a bit sidetracked." Finn pointed out. Nicole laughed.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Anyways, you know what we need to talk about. The other day, I was scared, and I was really worried about you. What happened?"

"Well, it started Saturday morning, when I read the article exposing my past and my dad. It was really overwhelming. I started to feel a little funny. Like there was a hand on my chest, squeezing it slightly. It wasn't much, and I just put it down to nerves. Throughout the day, it kept getting worse though, and it wasn't just my chest. I started feeling tingling feelings in my arms, which grew to heaviness, which grew to stabbing pains. When I performed, I think because of all of the sudden stress, and the lack of Oxygen I get to my body whilst performing, I just deteriorated really quickly. By the end of the performance, I was practically green. I was kind of dazed and confused, and I couldn't hear a word of what Louis and Tulisa were telling me because I was trying to hold out until after the comments were done. As you know, I failed mid feedback, and I was rushed to the hospital."

Nicole closed her eyes in fear and sympathy for the poor guy.

"You know, the doctors ran some tests and apparently, I have some genetic heart disorder that means that when I'm under extreme, extreme amounts of stress and pressure, I'm at a fairly high risk of having a heart attack like that."

"Well that can't be right!" Nicole exclaimed. "7 years in the bloodiest parts of the world, fighting for the Army. You spent two years as a POW for christ's sake and this gives you a heart attack?! There's gotta be something off."

Finn laughed.

"It's funny. I said the exact same thing. But then I did a bit of digging. So as you can see…" Finn said, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his smart watch. "I wear a smartwatch. We wore them in the army, and I still wear one now. It also has a heart rate monitor, so I'm able to compare my heart rate during deployment versus now. On average, while fighting, my heart rate was around 140 bpm, which is actually pretty low. I was always pretty good at keeping calm during military situations anyways. But, during the hour leading up to my first audition in the X Factor, my heart rate was at 190 bpm, which is dangerously high. I was so much more stressed the day before yesterday than I was at any point during deployment. But I feel like it took that heart attack for me to step back and be like 'adjust your priorities'. I can't win the X Factor if I'm dead."

"You know, to everybody else, I'm like 'dig deeper' or 'give more'. You, Finn, have given everything. Now you need to take care of yourself. Just know that I'm behind you, the competition's behind you, and we're not eliminating you from the competition."

Finn let out a sigh of relief. He was safe!

"Oh my god! Thank you so much! I swear, I won't let you down!"

"Hold on!" Nicole said. "There is one stipulation though. Your song this week cannot be as intense and stressful as your week 1 and 2 picks. And you're not allowed to dance, even though it's dance week this week."

Finn smiled widely, and Nicole noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"You seem happy. Why?" She asked.

"Well, I can't dance. Like I actually cannot get my limbs to move in any rhythm whatsoever. At least now I'll have an excuse. Can I play guitar?" Finn asked. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, actually, that was my idea. We can hire dancers to dance around you, and you and your guitar will be center stage."

"That sounds good." Finn replied.

"Great! Now, do you have any idea of which song you want to sing?" She asked. They spent the next half an hour trying to come up with a song idea for the 'Club Classics' week 3 of the competition.

"Hey Brother by Avicii?" Nicole suggested. Finn shook his head.

"Nah, that song's kind of bland, and any cover I do with my guitar will sound too close to the original. I want something that sounds completely different to the original."

Nicole nodded.

"And I can't sing my audition song or my judge's house song again, can I?" Finn asked. It was Nicole's turn to shake her head. They spent the next half an hour trying to argue about the right song to sing, before Finn suddenly had an idea. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought about it before. It was one of his favourite covers he had ever written, even if the original song was terrible.

"Nicole, I think I've got it." Finn said. Nicole looked up from her computer, where she wasgoing through lists and lists of dance club songs.

"What?" She asked, curiously.

"Ok, here me out okay. I know this might sound crazy and weird but trust me… I can put a pretty decent spin on this song."

"Well, what is it?" She asked again.

"The LMFAO song: I'm Sexy and I Know It…"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Finn spent the next day recording the backing track to his spectacular cover of the LMFAO song. As Nicole watched him fiddle around with the drum machine, she couldn't help but be amazed at how far he'd come so far, and how much further he could get by the end of the competition. He was her pick to win the whole competition, no matter what any press or bettings odds said.

After Finn had finished singing his cover, it was time to work on the dance in the dance studio. Finn liked the song in particular because it wasn't about angst or pain. It was a little bit of fun, and a rare bit of lightheartedness from him. He was planning on keeping his anxiety at bay by purely just having a good time on stage. It also helped that he had beautiful dancers provocatively moving around him, so he was able to distract himself from his worry by looking at them. On his second day of dance rehearsals, Nicole came into the studio to watch, and she was amazed at how unique and fantastic the cover was. She danced around from her spot at the side of the room, and when Finn finished singing, she walked over to him, clapping and cheering.

"Ooh, Finn, dude, you got some serious heat in that song!" She exclaimed. "I was moving, grooving. I gotta get some baby oil all over me!" She said, dancing seductively around in her spot. Finn laughed.

"You can't be doing that! You know I have heart problems, Nicole." Finn joked. Nicole cracked up laughing hysterically. By Thursday evening, Finn was completely locked, loaded and ready for battle…


	89. Chapter 89

Soon, Friday night rolled around and Rylan, Finn, Ella, Jade and Jahmene were sitting in Ella's room. They all were extremely nervous about their performances, more so than previous weeks because they would have to dance a lot more this week. This might be in Rylan's comfort zone, but the others felt like fish out of water. Minutes ticked by very slowly, and after an hour of them sitting around and barely talking, Finn stood up.

"Well this officially sucks!" He exclaimed. "We're so busy worrying about tomorrow that we can't have fun today. Do you know what we should do?" Finn said.

"What?" Rylan replied, boredly trying to balance a pencil on the flat of his hand.

"We should go bowling." Finn replied. Everyone looked at him strangely.

"Excuse me?" Jade asked, confused.

"We're all so stressed out about tomorrow; we just need to loosen up. I always used to go bowling whenever I used to be worked up about a big football game, or when I was getting deployed the next day."

"What the hell? I'm in." Ella said. "Anything beats just sitting here and doing nothing like we are now."

"I'm in too." Jahmene said. Everyone else agreed, and they headed to a nearby bowling alley. They were going to be out in public and would probably have paparazzi following them so they needed to change into suitable clothes, and the first spent 15 minutes doing up their hair and make up. However, eventually, they left the hotel and got into a car. They arrived at the bowling alley shortly later, and they were immediately spotted by quite a few fans. After signing autographs and taking a few selfies with them, the contestants made it to their private alley. Rylan was up first, followed by Jahmene, Jade, Ella and then finally Finn.

"Do I have to put my fingers in the holes?" Rylan asked, eyeing the bowling balls with slight disgust.

"Great news everyone! We found the name of Rylan's sextape!" Finn joked, and they all laughed. Rylan rolled his eyes.

"Haha, I'm serious. Couldn't there be disease in there or something?"

"Oh no, ball sharing's all part of the fun. Have you seriously never been bowling before?" Ella asked, amazed. Rylan shook his head. Jahmene passed him a ball, and Rylan nervously walked up to the alley. He attempted to bowl the ball but it swerved almost immediately and only hit 3 pins. The others clapped. It was pretty good for his first time.

"Wow, I'm better than I thought!" Rylan exclaimed.

"Wow, I'm better than I thought - great news everybody! We've found the name of Rylan's followup sex tape!"

The others snickered.

"You know, making jokes at me while I have a 9 kilo bowling ball in my hand may not be the best idea." Rylan said, looking at Finn and glaring playfully at him. Finn laughed. Jahmene, Jade and Ella - who had all bowled before, got average scores on their first bowls. Finally, Finn stepped up and picked out the lightest ball possible. Everyone looked at him strangely.

"Seriously? You're the strongest guy here and yet you use the ball meant for kids and teenagers?"

Finn shrugged.

"Wait for it…" He said, before whipping the ball as hard as he could, sending it flying down the alley and crashing it into the center pin, knocking all of the pins in the process. Strike! He turned back towards his friends, a triumphant expression on his face.

"What were you guys saying?" He asked, smirking at them. 5 hours later, they were back in the hotel, their minds successfully torn away from the nervousness they were feeling about tomorrow. All they were feeling was happiness about the fun evening they just spent with their friends.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Welcome to the X Factor! Your Saturday night starts right here!"

Before they knew it, they were backstage in the greenroom of Madison Square Garden, watching Dermott host the show and waiting for their turn to perform. Finn had his acoustic guitar with him - he would be singing an acoustic cover of his song. Once again, the nerves in the greenroom were palpable, and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

"We are live on ITV1, where the ten remaining acts will need to be at the top of their game because tonight, the theme is the extremely difficult but always brilliant 'club classics!' We all love tonight. Speaking of which, here are 4 people who have spent hours getting ready for night'clubbing' each other. It's the X Factor judges!"

The four judges walked on stage and like always, took their seats at the judging table.

"All right! Grim determination etched into their faces. It's a big night for all of the acts tonight and of course, for our judges too. OK Louis, coming to you first. You lost MK1 last week, how do you feel about that?"

"You know, Dermott? It's such a shame. It's a shame for the competition. We've lost two unique singers."

"Well, where did it go wrong?" Dermott asked.

"Well, honestly, I couldn't have predicted who was going to win between Kye and MK1. Both of them sang incredibly, both during their main performance and their sing off song. It's just unlucky I guess."

"Um… okay. Nicole, club classics tonight. Does this favour some of your guys more than others?"

"Well, I'll be honest. At the beginning of the week, I thought that this was definitely going to be Rylan's week, and Finn and Jahmene could be in danger of being pretty far down, possibly in the bottom 2. Now don't get me wrong, Rylan's performance is amazing, but I was really impressed at how my other 2 boys took this week in their stride, and both have something really special up their sleeves."

"Tulisa, you live in clubs! This has got to be the easiest week for you! Are your girls looking forward to it?" Dermott asked.

"Definitely. And I'm excited for them." She said.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for the X Factor judges! All right, our acts will become 9 tomorrow night, but you can make sure it doesn't happen to your favourite by voting for them, which you can do starting right… NOW! You can vote at any time tonight or tomorrow, up until tomorrow night. Right, first up tonight is a member of our Over 28s category… Mr. Christopher Maloney!"

Christopher walked on stage for his performance. Finn didn't like to wish hate on anyone, but he genuinely had no idea how Chris was still in the competition, and Finn was interested at how the man who only sang ballads would take on dance week. Christopher ended up singing a cover of Waiting for a Star to Fall. It was probably his best performance of all the weeks so far, and the audience loved it, but it still wasn't quite at the extremely high standard of Ella and Jahmene's performances. After Christopher, Jahmene went on, and he stole the show with his version of I Say a Little Prayer. Jade was the third performer, as she sang a cover of Free by Ultra Nate. Her performance was pretty good given the circumstances - she had completely lost her voice on Monday due to swelling in her vocal cords, and was ordered to be on vocal rest between Monday and Thursday, giving her practically no time to rehearse her number. After Jade, Finn was the next up to perform, and he was shown to the backstage area by one of the producers to wait for Dermott to introduce him.

"Hey, welcome back to the X Factor live week 3, where the contestants are taking on massive club classic songs. Now, we have one of the boys performing, so Nicole, if you could introduce your act please."

"Another one of my boys who's had a very tough week but he's coming out fighting. This is Finn Hudson!" She exclaimed.

_Oohh...ah_

_When I walk on by, girls be looking like ''oh, he's fly!''_

_And I'll pimp to the beat, walking on street in my new la freak, yeah!_

_This is how I roll, animal print pants out of control_

_It's a Red Foo with a big afro and just like Bruce Lee, rock out the club_

_Oh! oh! girl! look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, this is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, show it, show it, show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

_Ooh.. yeah!_

_When I'm at the mall, security just can't find them all_

_When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo, trying to tan my cheeks,yeah_

_And this is how I roll. Come on ladies, It's time to go_

_We headed to bar, Baby, don't be nervous_

_No shoes, no shirt, I still get service!_

_Oh, oh girl, look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, This is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, Show it, Show it, Show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

**For the actual song: click**

**watch?v=QukmpmDFXTw**

**Or search James Arthur Sexy and I Know It**

By the end of the song, Finn had the whole arena on their feet. His cheeky, flirtatious performance was amazing, and adding back-up dancers to seductively dance around him was a great idea by Nicole. It added to the pure heat and passion of his performance. They had to wait for a good two minutes before the audience had quietened down enough for the judges to be able to give their feedback.

"Finn Hudson!" Louis exclaimed. "That was a brilliant interpretation of the LMFAO song. I mean you are a real professional, you had a really tough week, but when you get on that stage, you own it. You're what the show's all about, Finn. You're somebody with talent, who's going to get a recording deal. You deserve a record deal!"

"Thank you." Finn smiled. Tulisa went next.

"Finn, what a great rendition of that song. Absolutely amazing. Do you know what I loved about tonight? It's that even though I love the fact that you're usually really passionate and have this pain in your voice, tonight you had fun, and I really liked seeing that side of you. You should do it more often. I loved it. Well done."

Gary went third.

"Finn, amazing, amazing, amazing! You absolutely turned that song on its head! And you know what, it's kind of a silly dance song. I reckon those guys probably took about 5 minutes to write those stupid lyrics, and you know what? You gave those lyrics meaning tonight. Finn, I've gotta say this, this wasn't only the performance of the night, it was the performance of the series so far. Well done."

Finn was overwhelmed with how positive the feedback he was getting was.

"Wow! He has passion in his pants, and he ain't afraid to show it! Who am I talking to?"

Gary shrugged.

"I loved it. I just loved it." He said. Nicole beamed and turned back to Finn.

"First of all, you are a revelation, Finn. You took I'm Sexy and I Know it and you made a soulful, bluesy. You had meaning to it. You're a revelation, with swag, if that makes sense. That was just brilliant. Everyone should be voting for Finn Hudson."

After the judges' feedback, Dermott walked on stage to join Finn.

"You know what?" Dermott said. "I think I saw you almost smile for the first time on TV!"

Finn laughed.

"How can I not? I was singing a really fun song, I was doing a pretty decent job of it at that, and I had beautiful girls dancing all around me."

"And secondly, Nicole, the guy was just rushed to the hospital due to a heart attack, and you're putting all those sexy girls around him! What was that all about?!" Dermott joked.

"Well I just told him that if he started to get nervous, just focus on the girls."

"And one more thing I've gotta pick up on. Gary called that the performance of the season. What do you make of that comment?"

"Thanks, Gary. That's amazing! Especially coming from you, that's incredible."

"You deserve it." Gary replied.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! He ain't afraid to show it, he's sexy and he knows it, it's Finn Hudson everybody!"

Finn walked off stage, a huge grin plastered on his face. He was practically walking on air. The performance had gone so well! Finn barely remembered the rest of the contestants' performances as he was too busy thinking about his own, and how well it had gone. The night also flew by and before he knew it, he was back in the greenroom, waiting for the results show to start…


	90. Chapter 90

That night, Finn watched back the other performances, to get a gauge on who were the best performers. Obviously Jahmene and Ella were exceptional - Jahmene singing I Say a Little Prayer and Ella singing You Got the Love. Rylan was also really good this week, singing a mashup of On the Floor and Don't Stop the Music. Kye was another standout act for Finn. He sang the same song as during his first audition for the show - Save the World by Swedish House Mafia.

The next day, after a quick stint in the makeup and hair studio, Finn and the other contestants were in the greenroom together, watching Dermott introduce the show.

"Last night, ten acts performed club classics for your votes. They all want to stay in the competition, but tonight, two will have to sing again for their survival. And one… will be going home." Dermott announced. "This is the X Factor results show!"

The audience cheered and screamed. As the weeks went on, the fans seemed to get more and more enthusiastic.

"So, there's a lot to get through tonight here on ITV 1. We have ten acts sweating on tonight's vote backstage and we are one hour away from finding out who's going home. But, before that, the first band to ever make the X Factor final is back with us. It's JLS! And, to top it off, two absolute superstars are dueting together - Labyrinth is here with Emile Sande! But first, with 85 years of musical experience between them (most of them coming from Louis), they're successful, they're talented. It's the X Factor judges!"

If possible, affairs had gotten even colder than the day before. Gary had made the fatal mistake of trying to critique Ella's performance, and that led him into a world of insults from Nicole, Louis and Tulisa. Then, when Gary called Rylan's performance 'cheesy', Nicole and Tulisa bit back by harshly judging Christopher's performance.

"Oh, it looks like the judges mean business tonight. Right, lines are still open, but they'll be closing shortly, so please make sure to vote for your favourites soon. They all want to win, of course they do, but for now, they're going to put their rivalry aside and sing together. Singing live, it's the X Factor finalists."

All of the remaining finalists took to the stage together.

**Ella:**

_Captured effortlessly_

_That's the way it was_

_Happened so naturally_

_I did not know it was love_

**Rylan:**

_The next thing I felt was you_

_Holding me close_

**Kye:**

_What was I gonna do_

_I let myself go_

**Jade:**

_And now we're flyin' through the stars_

_I hope this night will last forever_

**Union J and District3:**

_Oh oh oh oh_

**All:**

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better_

_Makes me happy_

_Makes me feel this way_

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better than you_

**Finn:**

_I wait for night time to come_

_And bring you to me_

_I can't believe I'm the one_

_I was so lonely_

**Lucy:**

_I feel like no one could feel_

_I must be dreamin'_

_I want this dream to be real_

_I need this feelin'_

**Jahmene:**

_I make my wish upon a star_

_And hope this night will last forever_

**All:**

_Oh oh oh oh_

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better_

_Makes me happy_

_Makes me feel this way_

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better than you_

**Christopher:**

_First you put your arms around me_

**Lucy:**

_Then you put your charms around me_

**Christopher:**

_I can't resist this sweet surrender_

**Jahmene:**

_And a love so deep we cannot measure_

**All:**

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better_

_Makes me happy_

_Makes me feel this way_

_Ain't nobody_

_Loves me better than you_

"One more time! Ladies and Gentlemen… The X Factor finalists!" Dermott exclaimed as they walked off stage. "Now, time for our first special guest. He has stepped out from behind the mixing desk to become a star in his own right. But, he loves a good collaboration, especially when it's with a national treasure. Performing his new single with Emile Sande… it's Labyrinth!"

**Labyrinth:**

_You tell all the boys no_

_Makes you feel good yeah_

_I know you're out of my league_

_But that won't scare me away oh no_

_You've carried on so long_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it_

_You've built your wall so high_

_That no one could climb it_

_But I'm gonna try_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect_

_Take it off now girl, take it off now girl_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight_

**Emile Sande:**

_You let all the girls go_

_Makes you feel good, don't it?_

_Behind your Broadway show_

_I heard a voice say please don't hurt me_

_You've carried on so long_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it_

_You've built your wall so high_

_That no one could climb it_

_But I'm gonna try_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect_

_Take it off now boy, take it off now boy_

_I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight_

_Oh, tonight_

_See beneath, see beneath,_

_I Tonight I_

**Both of them:**

_I'm gonna climb on top your ivory tower_

_I'll hold your hand and then we'll jump right out_

_We'll be falling, falling_

_But that's okay_

_Cause I'll be right here_

_I just wanna know_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect_

_Take it off now girl, take it off now girl_

_Cause I wanna see you say_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight_

_Tonight, see beneath your beautiful_

_Oh tonight, we ain't perfect, we ain't perfect_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight_

"Wow! What a beautiful song! Labyrinth and Emile Sande everybody! And that is out when, Labyrinth?"

"Um… today actually." He replied. "Make sure you buy the single, or stream it in any way you can."

"And what a great partner to collaborate with, huh?" Dermott asked. Labyrinth nodded.

"Yeah, she's amazing."

"One more time! Labyrinth and Emile Sande everybody!" Dermott exclaimed as the two superstars made their way off stage. "So… you have been voting for the last 24 hours on behalf of our 10 remaining acts. Thank you so much for that but… lines are now CLOSED. Please do not call in now. But, let's say hello to our judges. Hey guys, loads to talk about but I have to start with this. Gary, Gary, Gary, last night, there was a tweet from your old bandmate Robbie Williams saying '#teamrylan all the way!'."

"You know, 20 years of knowing each other. We made an album together, we made a single even. But it's all over because of that." Gary said.

"Now, I know that there were some great performances last night. But who do you think is in trouble tonight? Nicole, you first?"

"Well, I'm going to say Christopher Maloney." Nicole said easily.

"Gary?" Dermott asked.

"Based on vocals, I'd say Jade. But she was ill so I don't want her to be eliminated."

"Tulisa?"

"I'm not saying." She replied. "It's too unpredictable. I don't know."

"Louis?"

"Jade." Louis replied. Dermott nodded.

"OK, next up is our second guest performance. The first group to ever make it to the X Factor final. They really hit the big time, they really hit the big time with their new single. We are so proud to welcome them back. Over 10 Million Record Sales, 5 Number 1 Singles, 2 Brit Awards. JLS!"

_Can I talk to you?_

_'Cause there's something I should say_

_Girl I'm so confused, is he your boyfriend?_

_If I jump the gun put me right back in my place_

_Can I kiss and run, like I'm your boyfriend?_

_I can be your toyfriend, I can be your lover_

_Take it how you want girl, treat you like no other_

_Say, I can be your toyfriend, I can be your lover_

_Take it how you want girl, treat you like no other_

_If you should ever wonder why these dudes have formed a line_

_It's 'cause they see the sexiness that's finally been defined_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_You got something no other girl's like that_

_I wanna touch you so tell me how_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_Ha ha_

_You know it's funny 'cause you have no idea_

_I ain't givin' up, so I gotta know your name_

_Think I talked enough_

_So what are you saying, girl?_

_I can be your Mr Right, or I can be your Mr Right Now_

_Either way girl, let's just shut this down_

_I can be your toyfriend, I can be your lover_

_Take it how you want girl, treat you like no other_

_Say, I can be your toyfriend, I can be your lover_

_Take it how you want girl, treat you like no other_

_If you should ever wonder why these dudes have formed a line_

_It's 'cause they see the sexiness that's finally been defined_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_You got something no other girl's like that_

_I wanna touch you so tell me how_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_Is it cool if I get real close?_

_Raise a glass. Can I make a toast_

_To the girl, the most beautiful_

_I've ever seen in my whole life, ever?_

_I say how does it feel_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_You got something no other girl's like that_

_I wanna touch you so tell me how_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

_How does it feel to be the hottest girl in the world right now, world right now?_

"Good to have you back boys. How's it going guys?" Dermott asked when they finished singing.

"Good." They replied.

"So, I know you watch the show. Who are your favourites?" He asked.

"Finn Hudson." They all replied.

"Well, it's great to have you back. Your next single, Hottest Girl in the World, when's it out?"

"Right now actually."

"One more time, give it up for JLS!"

The four piece boy band walked off stage, waving at the audience as they went.

"OK, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to find out who is safe and who is not. Please welcome back the judges and their acts."


	91. Chapter 91

"First up… Tulisa and the girls… Jade, Lucy and Ella!"

The four women walked on stage together.

"Gary and the overs… Christopher and Kye!"

The three guys walked on stage together. Both men were probably safe from elimination - Kye because he had a great voice and Christopher because the public liked him.

"Louis and the groups… District3 and Union J!"

Like Gary's two acts, Louis' two acts were probably safe. Both groups had put on fine performances, but Union J's performance was a little tired.

"And finally, Nicole and the boys… Jahmene, Rylan and Finn!"

The four of them joined the other three categories, ready to await their fates in the competition.

"OK, it's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the 8 acts definitely going through to next week's show and the two who received the fewest votes and will sing again for their lives in the sing off. Good luck, everyone."

THe audience screamed the name of their favourite acts. Finn heard several people chanting his name and he smiled to himself. He didn't want to become cocky and lose his edge, but he felt like, especially after Gary's comments, he was through to next week's show.

"In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Ella!"

Ella hugged Tulisa and the other girls before walking to the side of the stage.

"The second act safe and definitely returning next week is… Finn!"

Finn smiled slightly as Nicole hugged him, cheering, before he walked over to the side of the stage to join a beaming Ella.

"The next act through is… Rylan!"

Rylan's reaction wasn't nearly as dignified as Finn's.

"YES!" He screamed, and he literally ran over to Finn and Ella.

"The fourth act through is… Christopher!"

Christopher celebrated with Kye and Gary, before joining the three younger adults.

"The next act safe is… Jahmene!"

Everyone expected that. Jahmene was probably the best singer in the competition, and he had by far the best vocal range. Nicole now had all three boys through to next week.

"The sixth act still in the competition is… District3!"

Again, an expected slot. Now, just Union J, Jade, Lucy and Kye were still standing on stage. Finn honestly didn't know which of them were going through and which two were going to be in the bottom showdown.

"The seventh act through is… Lucy!"

Lucy definitely deserved her spot in the competition. She had such a unique take on all of her performances. Three acts left, one more guaranteed spot. Who would take it?

"7 acts have made it through so far. The final act who made it through to the next round is… Kye!"

Kye smiled and took his place among the 'safe' contestants. That meant that the sing off would be Jade vs. Union J.

"So, right now, Union J will be taking on Jade Ellis in the sing off. They will each sing one song that they believe will keep them in the competition. The decision will be up to our amazing judges… Tulisa, Nicole, Louis and Gary. Please welcome back first… Union J!"

_Made a wrong turn_

_Once or twice_

_I dug my way out_

_Blood and fire_

_Bad decisions_

_That's alright_

_Welcome to my silly life_

_Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood_

_Miss "no way it's all good"_

_It didn't slow me down_

_Mistaken_

_Always second guessing_

_Underestimated_

_Look, I'm still around_

_Pretty, pretty please_

_If you ever, ever feel_

_Like your less than_

_Less than perfect_

_Pretty, pretty please_

_If you ever, ever feel_

_Like your nothing_

_You are perfect_

_Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood_

_Miss "no way its all good"_

_It didn't slow me down_

_Mistaken_

_Always second guessing_

_Underestimated_

_Look, I'm still around_

_(I'm still around)_

_Pretty, pretty please_

_If you ever, ever feel_

_Like your less than_

_Less than perfect_

_Pretty, pretty please_

_If you ever, ever feel_

_Like your nothing_

_You are perfect_

_To me_

_Ooh_

_To me..._

Everyone cheered for them at the end of the song.

"Um… well done to Union J. Jade, take your place please."

The two acts switched places, so Jade was on stage and the boy band were standing at the side of the stage.

_I know you think that I shouldn't still love you_

_Or tell you that_

_But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it_

_Where's the sense in that?_

_I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder_

_Or return to where we were_

_I will go down with this ship_

_And I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm in love and always will be_

_I know I left too much mess and_

_Destruction to come back again_

_And I caused nothing but trouble_

_I understand if you can't talk to me again_

_And if you live by the rules of it's over_

_Then I'm sure that that makes sense_

_I will go down with this ship_

_And I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm in love and always will be_

_And when we meet_

_Which I'm sure we will_

_All that was there_

_Will be there still_

_I'll let it pass_

_And hold my tongue_

_And you will think_

_That I've moved on_

_I will go down with this ship_

_And I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm in love and always will be_

_I will go down with this ship_

_And I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm in love and always will be_

_I will go down with this ship_

_And I won't put my hands up and surrender_

_There will be no white flag above my door_

_I'm in love and always will be_

Jade sang decently well, but her sore throat made her performance only 50% of her capacity.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, make some noise for Union J and Jade!" Dermott exclaimed. "So, they have now done everything they can. It's in the hand of the judges. One of them will be singing again next week, one of them will be leaving the competition. Louis, coming to you first. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Um… Dermott, I'm the mentor for Union J. I love them and I don't want to lose them so I have to send Jade home."

"Tulisa, coming to you next." Dermott said.

"This is easy for me." Tulisa said. "That's my girl up there. She sang her heart out tonight. The act that I'm sending home is Union J."

"One apiece so far. Now it gets tough. Nicole, the name of the act you're sending home please?"

"Um… Jade, you are a beautiful, beautiful young woman. A strong young woman who has been through so much. With a tone like yours, you are one of my favourite voices in the competition. I know, no matter what happens tonight, you're going to get a record deal because you are a performing artist. And a brilliant one. Union J, you boys, through your performances and through your progress have proven yourselves to me so the act I'm sending home, I'm sorry, is Jade."

"Ok, Gary. He's the situation. If you opt to send Jade home, she goes home. If you opt to send Union J home, we go to a deadlock. The name of the act you're sending home please."

"Okay, Union J, I have been tough on you. As a former band member myself, I know a fair bit about what it's like. Every week, you come on the show, I think it's been good, but it hasn't been exceptional. I'm excited though. You show a lot of potential, commitment, and I can see the ambition in your eyes. I think you have something special. Jade, you are a phenomenal vocalist. You really are. And you really sang your heart out there. I just wonder if I want this for you more than you want this."

"The name of the act you're sending home please." Dermott asked again.

"The act I'm sending home is Jade. I'm sorry."

"Boys, congratulations. We'll see you next week." Dermott said. "Jade, I'm sorry but this is the end of your run in the competition."

Back in the greenroom, although they knew that Union J were the better act, Finn, Jahmene, Rylan and Ella couldn't help but feel really sad for their friend. Her dreams had been cut short. But hopefully it wouldn't be the end of the line for Jade Ellis' singing career.

Around an hour later, Finn was changed into more comfortable clothing, and he was about to leave the building when he was called back.

"Finn! Wait a second!" Someone shouted from behind him. Finn turned around. It was Nicole. Finn smiled.

"Hey Nicole, what's up?" He asked. She took a moment to catch her breath as she had just sprinted to catch up to him.

"There are some people who'd like to speak with you." She said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Did I do something wrong? Is it the producers?" Finn asked, slightly worried. Nicole shook her head and smiled.

"No, no. Much better than that. Come with me." She said, and Finn followed her back into the building. However, rather than going towards the greenroom like he normally did, he was instead led towards a different room on a higher floor. Eventually, they came to a door at the end of a corridor and Nicole knocked on the door, before walking with Finn inside the room. Inside, was Emile Sande!

"Hi, Finn." She said, hugging him. Finn was shell shocked. What in the world was going on?

"Um… I'm so sorry Ms. Sande. I think I'm in the wrong room." Finn said, turning to leave the room.

"Woah, woah, woah! You're in the right room!" Nicole exclaimed. Finn turned around slowly. He was more confused than ever. Eventually, once the shock had worn off, he regained his voice.

"I've gotta admit, I'm a bit confused as to why I'm here. It's not every day I'm told to walk into a room containing two of the best female singers of the generation." He remarked. Before Emile or Nicole could reply, the door swung open once more and 4 members of One Direction - Harry, Liam, Niall and Louis walked in. Finn's jaw dropped.

"Okay, I'm definitely in the wrong room." He said. All 6 of the superstars started laughing at his obvious confusion and slight intimidation by all of the huge celebrities before him.

"Again, you're not in the wrong room." Sande said. "I just wanted to congratulate you. You're an incredible talent. The way you just get into your songs, you get fully in there. You're amazing, man."

"Wow, thank you. That means a lot. That means so much, especially coming from you. You're one of my idols."

"Thanks. I also wanted to let you know that after the competition, when you get your well-deserved record deal, if you ever wanted to colab for a song or two, I'd definitely be up for that, and I'd be honored to be able to sing alongside you."

"Oh, definitely! Without a shadow of a doubt. But that's if I get a record deal. I don't have a guaranteed contract unless I actually win the whole competition, which is unlikely." Finn replied.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll get a record deal." She said, confidently. "Even if you don't win the competition, you've established a huge name for yourself in the industry, and record labels will be tripping over each other to sign you."

Finn couldn't believe the incredible praise he was getting! Emile Sande wanted to sing with him! This was something he couldn't have even dreamt of happening!

"Wow… um… thank you. Those words, they mean the world to me. And I'd definitely be down for doing a duet if I get a record deal. Thank you so much."

"No problem, and good luck in the rest of the competition. I'm rooting for you! In fact, most of the pop singers I know are! You're probably going to be the next iconic star!"

With that, Emile left the room, leaving Finn with 4 members of one of the biggest boy bands of all time.

"Um… hi there." Finn said, turning to them. They chuckled yet again at his discomfort.

"Okay, let's just skip the small talk. You're the best contestant on the show… blah blah blah… you're our pick to win… blah blah blah. Okay, here's the deal." Harry said. "We've got a concert in Boston in 2 days. Zayn just caught the flu, so we're one man short and it's too late to cancel. We need someone to take his place, and we thought why not ask the best X Factor contestant of this year's contestants? As former X Factor contestants, we know how vital the time is between weeks and there's no hard feelings if you say know. It's going to require pretty tough rehearsal with us tomorrow, and then we're going to fly you out with us in our private jet to Boston and back for the concert and the afterparty. We'll have you back in Manhattan by Wednesday, giving you just three days to prepare for your week 4 performance."

Finn's mind was flying at a mile a minute, trying to interpret what had just been laid on him.

"Wait… I'm sorry… let me get this straight. You guys actually want me to perform alongside you in Boston the day after tomorrow?"

"Yup." Louis said. "We absolutely love your voice, and we would love to perform alongside you. But we know how stressful the competition is already and the last thing we want to do is to compromise your performance."

Finn thought for a moment and then turned to Nicole, who was sitting in the corner of the room, watching the conversation unfold, amused.

"Um… Nicole? They have a point in terms of how hard it will be to pull off the performance with two less days of preparation. But I already know what I want to sing. All we would need to sort out is choreography and stage/costume design, and I never dance anyways so it won't even be that much. At the end of the day, if you don't want me to perform with them, I won't."

"Well, I believe in you, Finn. When you say you have your fright night performance covered, I trust you. So I say go right ahead and perform with them."

Finn smiled widely and turned back to the One Direction members.

"OK, I'm in!"


	92. Chapter 92

That night, Finn arrived back at the hotel at around 12 am, feeling more excited than he ever had before. When he got into his room, he saw Ella and Rylan hanging out inside. He smiled at them as he threw his coat at the coat rack.

"Finn, where the hell were you? We arrived like an hour ago!" Ella exclaimed. Finn laughed and collapsed on his bed, grinning from ear to ear.

"You won't believe it if I told you." Finn said, pulling out his phone to reveal a text from One Direction's manager with all of the flight details and rehearsal details for the next two days.

"Try us." Rylan said.

"Well, this band approached me because they have a concert the day after tomorrow in Boston and one of the band members just caught the flu. They want me to step in."

"Finn, that's awesome!" Ella exclaimed. "Which band?"

"They're not a big band, You probably won't know them." Finn said, unconvincingly.

"Finn?" Ella said, sternly. She could tell her friend was lying. "Who's the band?"

"One Direction." Finn murmured quietly to himself. Rylan literally fell out of the chair he was sitting in.

"YOU'RE PERFORMING WITH ONE DIRECTION?" Rylan shouted. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, Zayn's got the flu and they're performing in two days time in Boston. I'm rehearsing with them all of tomorrow and we're flying in their private jet to Boston the day after for the concert."

"Finn, that's amazing!" Ella exclaimed, giving him a hug.

"Thanks. I just hope that I don't choke this week's halloween performance in the X Factor because I have 2 less days to rehearse."

"You'll be fine, dude. Even if your performance is slightly compromised, it'll still be better than most of ours!" Rylan said. "So when do you leave for Boston?"

"Um… Tuesday morning. And I'm coming back to Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon."

Finn fell asleep that night almost immediately. The next week was going to no doubt be stressful, but had the potential to be one of the best of his life.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The whole of the next day was spent rehearsing with the members of the infamous boy band. For boys that were so laid back and relaxed when talking to them, they sure rehearsed hard! The rehearsal lasted for almost twelve hours as Finn had to learn Zayn's part for all 20 songs on their set list. It was an extremely difficult task - much harder than he had expected - but by the end, they were all extremely happy with Finn's performance.

"Yes! Let's go!" Louis exclaimed, high fiving Finn at the end of their set closer: What Makes You Beautiful. The other guys quickly joined them, hugging and high-fiving Finn.

"I tell you what, you might even be better than Zayn!" Niall said. Finn laughed.

"That's an exaggeration." Finn said. "I just still can't believe what I'm about to do tomorrow. It feels so surreal."

The other boys laughed. As former X Factor finalists who suddenly shot up to stardom, they knew exactly how he felt.

"We know what you mean." Liam said. "During our run on the X Factor, it was just so overwhelming. To think that we went from the average teenage boys to internationally recognised singers in the course of 4 months… it was mad! And what we didn't know when we applied for the show is how stressful it is too."

"Yeah, but it's also really rewarding. Like you guys wouldn't be where you are today if it weren't for the competition, right?" Finn asked. They nodded.

"That's true, which is we everything to thank the competition for. Anyways, we're probably going to wrap up for today. We'll text you with the details of where to meet tomorrow morning for the flight."

Finn nodded. The guys all went their separate ways, ready to travel early the next morning. Finn was practically bursting with excitement. Now that he knew the lyrics for the whole setlist, he couldn't wait to get on stage and sing alongside the boys that he spent so much time idolising.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next morning, Finn woke up at 5 am, and due to the nerves and excitement he was feeling, he couldn't get back to sleep. Rylan was still sound asleep, so Finn had to tiptoe across the room to reach his new Samsung tablet. The competition had a sponsorship deal with Samsung, so all of the contestants were given brand new Samsung S10 phones and Galaxy Tab S6s. Finn was amazed at how much free stuff he had gotten through the competition - an entirely new wardrobe, new technology, a new guitar and a complete makeover from his old look. The life of a superstar, I guess, he thought. Finn went down to the lobby of the hotel and of course, due to the extremely early hour, it was completely silent. Finn turned on the device, plugged in his headphones and listened to the set list from beginning to end. Although Finn had completely memorised every word from every song - an incredible feat to achieve in just 12 hours - he could never practise too many times.

At around 7 am, Finn received a text on his phone. He pulled it out and opened it, to reveal an unread text message.

**Hi Finn, it's Louis. We're meeting at the VIP section of JFK at 10 am. See you there!**

Finn smiled to himself. He wasn't dreaming! He really was performing on stage with one of the biggest boy bands of all time in just 12 hours. Finn grabbed some breakfast at around 8:30, and saw that Ella was already at the booth in the hotel restaurant. Finn made himself a plate at the buffet and walked over to her. He slid into the booth, opposite her, and she smiled when she saw him.

"Hi Finn! How'd you sleep?" She asked.

"Like a freaking baby. Rehearsal yesterday was so tiring! We rehearsed for 12 hours straight!"

"Ouch!" She replied, laughing. "But you've gotta be excited about the concert, huh?"

"Oh yeah, definitely! I literally woke up at 5 and I couldn't get back to sleep after!" Finn said. "What about you? Have you thought of what you want to sing for Halloween week on Saturday?"

"Nah, I'm still thinking about it. Oh, I just realised that you're going to miss the deadline for deciding on a song! Does that mean you have an extension or something?"

Finn laughed.

"Jeez Ella, you make it sound like we're back in school! Anyways, I've already decided on a song, and not to brag or anything, but I think it's pretty good."

"Ooh, what is it?" She asked, curiously. Finn wasn't worried about telling her as he had already submitted his song choice so she couldn't copy it. Besides, Ella wasn't the kind of person who would do that.

"I'm doing a pretty old song. It's by The Eurythmics. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)."

Ella smiled and nodded.

"Wow, nice!" Ella exclaimed. "Are you going to put a unique spin on it?"

"You know I am!" Finn replied. "I'm going for some intense, dark Rock this time. I just hope it's going to be good. There's not much time to rehearse."

"Finn…" Ella said, smiling genuinely at him. "As long as you're singing it, I'm sure it's going to be excellent."

"Thanks Ella." Finn replied. "Sorry but I've gotta run. I need to pack an overnight bag and then make it to the airport by 9:30."

"Bye Finn. And good luck tonight! Have an amazing time!"

Finn waved to her and then left the restaurant. He went back up to his room and when he entered, Rylan had woken up and was in the shower. Finn packed up his overnight bag pretty quickly - all he really needed were his clothes, wallet, phone and headphones - and when he was just about to leave the room, Rylan walked out of the bathroom.

"Hey man, are you leaving already?" He asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah they want me to meet them in the airport at 10 and I want to be there half an hour in advance."

"Well good luck dude. We're all so excited for you. And a little jealous too." He joked. Finn laughed and shrugged.

"Maybe it'll be you in the future." Finn remarked but Rylan shook his head.

"Nah, I don't want to be a singer in the future, nor am I good enough to become one. But being a television personality, that I can do."

"Well, if you become one, you'd better let me on your show!"

"One step at a time, buddy! Now go! You're going to miss your plane and I don't think One D will be happy!"

Finn nodded.

"Bye dude!" Finn shouted as he ran out the door, clutching his overnight duffle in his hand. As Finn ran down the hall, he flew into someone, almost knocking them over. It was Nicole.

"Oh crap! I'm so sorry, Nicole!" Finn exclaimed. Nicole laughed.

"No problem. It's fine. Are you leaving now?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah, and I would stay to chat but at this rate I'm going to be late."

"Well then go Finn go!" She laughed. Finn nodded and ran down the corridor to the lifts, and a couple of minutes later, he had thrown himself into his waiting car, and the driver immediately took off for the airport. 20 excruciatingly slow minutes later, Finn was by the VIP entrance of the airport and when he entered, his jaw dropped.

It was so fancy, quiet and not at all like the rest of the bustling airport. There was a buffet at the corner of the vast section of the airport, and a small duty free on one side of the airport as well. Before Finn could do anything, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see all four boys. Finn smiled at them.

"Hey, you made it! We were scared you might back out last minute!" Liam said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? There's no way in hell I'm giving up this opportunity! I was never going to miss this for the world!"

"That's good to hear, man. And we have no doubt that you'll do a good job tonight. Now, let's go catch our plane!" Louis said.

The four members of the boy band and Finn were led through the small VIP section of the airport, and half an hour later, they strutted onto One Direction's private jet that they were renting for their world tour. Finn wolf whistled when he walked down the aisle of the plane, admiring the plush leather chairs with almost endless room to recline.

"Wow! This plane is luuux!" He exclaimed. "This is like nothing I've ever seen before! I could get used to this!"

The other boys laughed.

"Yeah, it was really weird to adjust to our life as pop stars at first. We were used to travelling around by public bus, performing in empty pubs. Now we're singing in sold out arenas all over the world. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not dreaming." Niall said from his seat next to Finn. "I take it you've never flown via private jet before, huh?"

Finn shook his head.

"No. Actually, kind of. But they were all military planes and I would usually have to parachute out of the plane at some point so I don't think they count."

Niall laughed.

"No, well this is a bit different." He commented. At this point, the flight took off and Finn relaxed into his chair, preparing himself for the hour long flight.

Finn decided to call Santana. He hadn't really spoken to her since live shows started due to his hectic schedule, and he missed her. He pulled out his phone, plugged in his headphones and called her via Skype. A few moments later, her smiling face filled the screen.

"Hey Finn!" She said.

"Hey San, how are you?" He asked.

"Really good! I got promoted at work!" She exclaimed, unable to keep the happiness out of her voice. Finn smiled widely.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" He replied.

"Thanks. And how are you? Are you working on your week 4 performance yet. Your week 3 one's going to be tough to beat, huh?"

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, that one was pretty decent. But no, I'm not working on that yet. I've been given two and a half days away from the show."

"How come?" She asked curiously.

"Well, you'll never believe this but I actually am singing in my first actual concert! One member from the group caught the flu and they wanted me to step in for their show in Boston tonight! I'm actually in their private jet right now. We're landing in Boston in half an hour, and we've got a sound check this afternoon before the concert tonight."

"Ooh, that sounds so amazing, dude! Who are you performing with?"

Finn panned his camera around the plane to reveal his four travel buddies. He heard a loud scream echo through his headphones.

"OH MY GOD! IS THAT ONE D?" She shouted. Finn laughed.

"Yeah, in the flesh. Zayn's sick so they approached me to step in. I'm kinda nervous though. It's not every day I have the opportunity to perform for 50 thousand people."

"Well you're gonna do great, Finn! And I'm so proud of you! You so deserve this - more than anyone in the world. Just enjoy it."

"Thanks, San."

The two of them spoke for another half an hour before Finn finally hung up. Once he was off the phone, Niall turned to him.

"Your girlfriend?" he asked.

"Nah. More like a sister." Finn replied.

"Have you got a girlfriend back home?" Louis asked, joining into the conversation. Finn shook his head.

"No. I used to have one. We broke up like two and a half years ago."

"Oh no, what happened?"

"We broke up when she thought I was dead but was actually a POW. When I managed to escape two years later, she wanted to get back together immediately but I was definitely not in the right state of mind to do so. We kinda drifted from there. I haven't spoken to her in two years."

"Well put it this way…" Louis said. "After this competition, especially if you win, every girl in the country will want to go out with you."

Finn sighed.

"I guess." Finn said, unconvincingly. Before they could say anything more, the plane touched down in Boston. Finn sat up a bit straighter. They were here!


	93. Chapter 93

"We're here!" Liam announced from the front of the plane. The other boys cheered and stepped off the jet. The minute they stepped off, Finn and One Direction were ushered into a limousine and taken to the currently empty arena. To keep Finn's presence at the show secret until the very last moment, rather than spending time with the fans before the concert, the boys were sent straight into the arena for the sound check. This lasted for a good 1 and a half hours. After this, the boys were shown to the makeup, hair and wardrobe studios to visually prepare for the concert. Finn was extremely nervous, but also more excited about the gig than anything in his life. He was practically hopping up and down in excitement.

Finally, the crowd started filling the arena at around 6:30 that evening, for a 7 pm start to the concert. Finn eyed them through the greenroom. There must have been around 50 thousand people in the audience - at least 5 times more than his weekly performances in the X Factor. Louis walked over to him.

"You excited?" He asked. Finn smiled nervously.

"Yeah. At the beginning, did you guys also feel like you were about to pass out?"

They laughed.

"Yup. Don't worry. The second we start singing, the feeling will go away. You've got this."

Finn nodded. The show opener - 5 Seconds of Summer - performed for around 10 minutes to get the crowd amped up and buzzing, before leaving so that the boy band could begin their performance. Eventually, the opening act had finished and Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall walked on stage together, waving to the crowd as they walked on stage.

"What's up Boston!" Liam exclaimed as the four boys took to the stage. Immediately, the crowd noticed the absence of one member of the group - Zayn Malik.

"So, as you guys can probably tell, Zayn isn't with us right now. He caught the flu so we're really sorry but he won't be with us tonight." Niall said.

Boos from the audience echoed around the arena.

"Now hold on! Before you boo, you should meet our replacement. Recently taking the country by storm, he's our favourite X Factor contestant from this year. Put your hands together for Finn Hudson everybody!"

Nervously, Finn stepped out from the backstage area, and he walked on to join the other four boys on stage…

The reception he received from the crowd was louder than anything he had ever heard before. If it weren't for the earpiece in his ear, he was sure that he would've gone deaf. Still, even with the earpiece, the noise sounded like a jet taking off. Finn waved to the crowd and smiled as he joined the group and prepared to sing the first song of the night.

_One, two, three_

_Straight off the plane to a new hotel_

_Just touched down, you could never tell_

_A big house party with a crowded kitchen_

_People talk (shh) but we don't listen_

_Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please_

_Way too many people in the Addison Lee_

_Now I'm at the age when I know what I need, oh, whoa_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Baby, you and me_

_Stumblin' in the street_

_Singin', singin', singin', singin'_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Anywhere we go, never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it, do it_

_Five foot something with the skinny jeans_

_Don't look back, baby, follow me_

_I don't know where I'm going but I'm finding my way_

_Same old sh- but a different day_

_Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please_

_Way too many people in the Addison Lee_

_Now I'm at the age when I know what I need, oh, whoa_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Baby, you and me_

_Stumblin' in the street_

_Singin', singin', singin', singin'_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Anywhere we go, never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it, do it_

_You and me and all our friends_

_I don't care how much we spend_

_Baby, this is what the night is for_

_I know nothing's making sense_

_For tonight let's just pretend_

_I don't wanna stop so give me more_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Baby, you and me_

_Stumblin' in the street_

_Singin', singin', singin', singin'_

_Midnight memories_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Anywhere we go, never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it, do it_

The moment after the steller opener, they prepared to sing their second song, ignoring the screams and cheers of 'I Love You' from the young female members of the audience.

_Oh, I just wanna take you anywhere that you would like_

_We could go out any day, any night_

_Baby, I'll take you there, take you there_

_Baby, I'll take you there, yeah_

_Oh, tell me, tell me, tell me how to turn your love on_

_You can get, get anything that you want_

_Baby, just shout it out, shout it out_

_Baby, just shout it out, yeah_

_And if you_

_You want me to_

_Let's make a move, yeah_

_So tell me, girl, if every time we touch_

_You get this kind of rush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

_Oh, baby, baby, don't you know you got what I need_

_Lookin' so good from your head to your feet_

_Come on, come over here, over here_

_Come on, come over here, yeah_

_Oh, I just wanna show you off to all of my friends_

_Making them drool down their chinny-chin-chins_

_Baby, be mine tonight, mine tonight_

_Baby, be mine tonight, yeah_

_And if you_

_You want me to_

_Let's make a move, yeah_

_So tell me, girl, if every time we touch_

_You get this kind of rush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow (come on)_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

_Come on, na na na na na na na_

_Na na na na na na na, na na na na na na na, yeah_

_So tell me, girl, if every time we touch_

_You get this kind of rush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Every time we touch_

_You get this kind of rush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

Finn was having the time of his life up on stage, performing with his idols. He had been given a unique look at what the life of a superstar was like, and it gave him something to strive towards in the future. After all, unlike before, Finn actually had a platform to push off from in his music career - the X Factor. Finn and the other boys kept on singing song after song after song. They flew through Live While We're Young, Night Changes, Little Things, Rock Me, One Thing, You and I, What Makes You Beautiful and Best Song Ever. Finn barely even remembered their short, 10 minute intermission before they were back on stage for the second half. Finn learnt only too well that the saying 'time flies when you're having fun' is extremely true. Before he even knew it, they approached the final song of the night. Finn couldn't believe it! He had just sang a whole set with one of the biggest bands on the planet, in front of nearly 50000 people, and he hadn't done anything monumentally stupid for the fans to hate him. In fact, they not only didn't hate him, but they actually loved him. Finn and the boys prepared for the final song of the night… the iconic 'Story of My Life.'

_Written in these walls are the stories that I can't explain_

_I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days_

_She told me in the morning_

_She don't feel the same about us in her bones_

_It seems to me that when I die_

_These words will be written on my stone_

_And I'll be gone, gone tonight_

_The ground beneath my feet is open wide_

_The way that I been holdin' on too tight_

_With nothing in between_

_The story of my life, I take her home_

_I drive all night to keep her warm and time_

_Is frozen (the story of, the story of, the story of)_

_The story of my life, I give her hope_

_I spend her love until she's broke inside_

_The story of my life (the story of, the story of)_

_Written on these walls are_

_The colors that I can't change_

_Leave my heart open_

_But it stays right here in its cage_

_I know that in the morning now_

_I see us in the light upon a hill_

_Although I am broken, my heart is untamed, still_

_And I'll be gone, gone tonight_

_The fire beneath my feet is burning bright_

_The way that I've been holdin' on so tight_

_With nothing in between_

_The story of my life, I'll take her home_

_I drive all night to keep her warm and time_

_Is frozen (the story of, the story of)_

_The story of my life, I give her hope_

_I spend her love until she's broke inside_

_The story of my life (the story of, the story of)_

_And I've been waiting for this time to come around_

_But, baby, running after you is like chasing the clouds_

_The story of my life_

_I take her home_

_I drive all night_

_To keep her warm and time_

_Is frozen_

_The story of my life, I give her hope (give her hope)_

_I spend her love until she's broken inside_

_The story of my life (the story of, the story of)_

_The story of my life_

_The story of my life (the story of, the story of)_

_The story of my life_

At the end of the performance, Finn relaxed and truly took in all of the cheers and applause that they were receiving from the audience without having to worry about the next song.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… Thank you so much for having us! You've been a great audience!" Liam exclaimed. The audience roared as loud as they could.

"And I'd like to say a huge thank you to this man right here!" He continued, putting a hand on Finn's shoulder. "Without him, this show wouldn't have been possible. Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Finn Hudson!"

Finn waved at the audience and winked at them as the whole arena chanted his name.

"FINN! FINN! FINN!" They all shouted. A couple of minutes later, the boys finally went backstage, and when they were safely away from eyes and earshot of the fans, they exploded with excitement.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Finn exclaimed, still panting for breath after the marathon set list.

"Damn right it was! You never get over that rush you get after a performance." Louis replied. "Now, you ready for the afterparty?"

Finn grinned and nodded.

"Hell yeah I am."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

That night, Finn spent the whole night partying with One Direction and some of their fans in one of the most famous bars in the city. He knew that he was taking the private jet back to Manhattan alone at 9 am, so he excused himself at 7 to go to the airport.

"Hey guys. I've gotta go now. Thank you so, so much for giving me this opportunity. It was absolutely incredible. I can't even describe how amazing it was."

The four band members hugged him.

"Finn, we should be the ones thanking you. Boston was one of the biggest locations on our tour, and you managed to save our performance. It was an honor to be able to perform alongside such a talented artist."

"Yeah, right back at you." Finn laughed.

"And we have no doubts that you're going to become a huge artist after the competition. And if you ever want to join us on one of our performances on tour, or collab for a song, just let us know. You're a great singer and a great guy, Finn."

"Thank you so much." Finn said. He then left the bar, and squinted as the sunlight hit his bloodshot eyes. He managed to make it to the car and then to the airport without falling asleep, but the minute he was on the plane, he crashed. He didn't realise how tired he was. The stress from the performance the night before followed by staying up all night partying had left him drained, but in a good way.

Now, he had to focus on the X Factor. He was already starting two touchdowns behind, having already missed two days, but he was determined to put on a spectacular show on Saturday. He had to, especially given that he now had the backing of so many huge artists!


	94. Chapter 94

"Morning." Finn yawned as he walked into the studio for rehearsal. Nicole was already there waiting for him. She smiled when he walked in.

"Finn! How was the concert?" She asked, excitedly. Finn smiled.

"It was just incredible. It was indescribable really. That feeling when you've just finished and the whole arena is cheering and screaming…" Finn's voice trailed off. Nicole laughed.

"I know. It feels amazing, huh? And you never really get used to it. It feels just as good every time you get up on that stage. Trust me, take it from someone who knows."

"Yeah, I mean if anyone understands that, it would be you, huh? Anyways, now I've gotta focus on this week's performance. I'm already a bit behind and I don't want to be in the bottom two."

"Yup, let's get started. So what did you have in mind? I saw that you wrote Sweet Dreams as your song. Are you planning to stick to the original or are you deviating from the original?"

Finn laughed.

"What do you think? Obviously I'm making it different! I'm thinking of a slow, heavy rock cover." Finn said, grabbing a bass guitar and playing a quick riff while singing along. "You know, something like this?" He said. Nicole smiled and nodded.

"Yes! That's unique! That's awesome! It's going to be epic, dude!" She exclaimed and Finn chuckled.

They spent the whole day working on the backing track of the song, and they decided that they would not involve any choreography. It would only be Finn standing by the mic stand, just the way he liked it.

The next day, when Finn woke up, he received a text message from Nicole.

**Hey Finn, I'm not mentoring you today. You've got a masterclass with a special surprise guest. Have fun!**

Finn raced out of the room like a child on Christmas day, eager to find out who he would be doing the masterclass with. Finn made it to the studio 10 minutes before his masterclass was due to start, and he knocked on the door. He heard a vaguely familiar voice shout 'Come in!' but he didn't know who it was. Slowly, Finn opened the door and stepped into the room to meet his teacher for the day…

It was Gwen Stefani and Tony Kamal - two of the most notable members of the band No Doubt! Finn was astonished.

"Oh my god." He murmured as he walked into the room nervously.

"Surprise!" Gwen exclaimed, laughing at the flabbergasted expression on Finn's face. Finn shook hands with both of them.

"Hey, it's really nice to meet you." Tony said as Finn shook hands with him.

"Yeah, you too. I'm a huge fan." Finn said. This was actually true. On the second week, one of the songs Finn had massively contemplated doing was Don't Speak - one of the most popular No Doubt songs.

"So how are you feeling about this week?" Tony asked. "Do you get less nervous as the weeks go on."

"I wish. No, I get more nervous each week. I'm really happy that I made it past dance week without having to really dance because I know that if I did, I definitely wouldn't be still here today."

They laughed.

"Well I mean, I'm not too great at choreography either, right?" Gwen said, looking at Tony.

"No, none of us are." Tony replied. "So I take it there's no choreography this week?"

"Definitely not!" Finn exclaimed. "I'm just standing by the mic stand and singing."

"Well we stayed up late last night watching your past performances and if anyone can pull that off, it's you."

"Thanks."

"So, what are you doing this week?" Gwen asked.

"Um… I'm singing Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) by The Eurythmics."

"Is it hard to choose your song every week?" Tony asked.

"It is normally. In past weeks, I usually have no idea about what I want to do, but this week, because I was in Boston performing with One Direction, I didn't get much time to rehearse, so I had to choose practically on the spot. I'm pretty happy with it though."

"Well, let's hear it!" Gwen exclaimed excitedly. Finn nodded. The piano accompanist began to play and Finn started to sing…

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next day was Friday, and it was the day before the performance. The only things Finn had planned for the day were his sound check on stage in the morning, and then an interview with the TalkTalk show after.

The sound check went amazingly. The lighting, stage design and backing track were perfection, and Finn and Nicole spent half an hour adjusting the microphone to the perfect volume so that it didn't overpower the music, nor hide away his voice.

That afternoon, Finn got changed and walked to the interview room of the hotel to have a quick interview with the TalkTalk Show. Them and the Xtra Factor were the two main shows that were based around the X Factor. Finn was seated opposite his interviewer, Pips Grayson, and moments later, the cameras started rolling and the interview began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back to the TalkTalk show." Pips said. "We are back at the X Factor hotel and we're in our haunted VIP lounge. Give it up for Finn Hudson everybody!"

The people who were around him off camera clapped and whistled.

"It's halloween week. Can you give us a little tease for your performance?" She asked.

"All I can say is that it's going to be heavy. It's going to be very heavy. You're going to see more of a dark rock side to me which is going to be scary."

"So, we've got some tweets here from your fans. Your very loving fans. They wanted to ask some questions about you. First of all, CharisseLouise asked… out of all of the other contestants, who would you most like to duet with?"

"Ooh, um… I'd like to do a duet with loads of people. I mean, me and Union J are always having late night jamming sessions. I couldn't do one with Jahmene because he'd just outriff me. He'd just out-do me. I'd love to do one with Ella obviously. Me and Ella have been writing one together actually."

"Have you?" Pips asked, interestedly.

"Yeah. Not that anyone's ever going to hear it!"

"Cool. Next, GIJacob wants to know… if your life was turned into a movie, which actor would play you in an ideal world? Anyone you want."

"Well, I feel like it would have to be Dwayne Johnson or Chris Hemsworth. They're the only actors on the planet who have big enough muscles to play me." Finn joked, and Pips laughed.

"Nah, I'm kidding." Finn said. "DiCaprio probably. If he could pull off the accent of course. But then again, I've heard him do a South African accent before, so doing just another different American accent shouldn't be too much of a stretch for him."

" EllieAnderson wants to know… what is your greatest fear?"

"Girls fighting." Finn responded immediately. Pips raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" She exclaimed, astonished.

"Yeah."

"How come?" She asked.

"Well, it's just really uncomfortable for me because I don't know what to do. Like if I see two guys fighting, I'm 99% of the time strong enough to drag one of them off of the other and stand in between them. But with girls, I can't really do that because I'm afraid that they'd think I was some kind of sexual predator or something."

Pips laughed.

"Well that makes sense now that you explained it!" She said. " CaronNFaith is wondering… do you have any weird habits?"

"Oh, loads. Probably, my first one is that I have pretty bad ADHD. Like I'm always fidgeting."

"Really? What do you think is the cause of that?"

"The military." Finn said easily. "I blame the military for it. Like back then, we would be at a constant alert for explosions, getting shot at. But I think the worst time I fidget is on the plane. I'm so used to just parachuting out of the vehicle because whenever we would be sent out on missions by plane, they would need to keep stealthy and not land the plane or fly low enough to be caught on enemy radar. Instead, we would just parachute out of the plane, and the feeling of anticipation before a jump would always make us fidget. That bad habit has just carried on now unfortunately."

"That's funny!" Pips said. "Anything else?"

"Well, I don't know if this is weird or not, but right before every performance, I have Rylan or Ella slap me in the face."

"Why? Just why?" Pips asked, amused.

"I don't know. It just helps me get in the zone, and gets me psyched up for the performance. Besides, they aren't strong enough to leave a mark on my face during the performance, which is why I don't have Lucy or anyone else do it."

"Well Finn, thank you so much for popping in today. Good luck tomorrow!"


	95. Chapter 95

Before he knew it, it was Saturday night and he was back in that same greenroom, sitting with the same people, watching the show on the same TV. The only difference was that rather than wearing normal clothes and makeup, they were all in their scary costumes for their halloween performance. Finn was wearing a dark button down and trousers. He also was wearing makeup for the first time - dark eyeliner that although made him look scary, was really uncomfortable. However, none of the contestants, other than Rylan, felt very comfortable in their costumes so Finn just shut up and bared it. He turned his attention to the screen as he watched Dermott walk on stage.

"Welcome to the X Factor! Your Saturday night starts right here! We are live on ITV 1 for our annual halloween extravaganza. Oh yes, tonight our acts have to embrace their dark sides in order to survive the scariest of X Factor weekends. But, not only do they have to face the terrifying prospect of elimination, they also have to take on the beast with 8 arms, 8 legs and 4 heads. An army of deadly insults at its disposal. Get ready to scream in fear at the X Factor judges!"

The four judges strutted on stage to the loud blaring 'Highway To Hell' that was blaring on the loudspeaker. Once they had sat down at the table, Dermott walked over to them.

"So, let's go and have a little chat with our judges. Um… Louis, let's start with you. With MK1 gone from the competition, it's now just the battle of the boy bands with you, right?"

"Yup, I've got two really good boy bands. Two really different types of boy bands but I love both of them."

"OK, and Tulisa, you lost your first act last week. What do you have to say about that?"

"Well I don't think that Jade deserved to be out of the competition. Nor did I think that Union J should've been in the bottom two. But there's nothing I can do about it. All I can say now is to all of the people who previously voted for Jade… vote for Ella and Lucy now!"

"Great. And Gary, let's talk to you. You didn't lose an act last week or the week before. What's that like?"

"A celebration!" Gary exclaimed.

"So, what are you doing now that's preventing your two remaining overs from being in the bottom two?"

"Well, they're just coming back every week and delivering. Sure Kye was sick two weeks ago, but he still made it through the sing off. That's what we need - to just pull it out the bag tonight and deliver."

"And Nicole… you haven't lost a single act yet. The only judge yet to do so. Do you consider yourself and your boys to be the favourites?"

"Well, I mean I love my boys and I do think that each of them have the potential to make it to the final. But then again, there are plenty of weeks left. Anything can happen between now and that final."

"All right. Looking good judges by the way! Anyways, tonight, our acts will need to conquer their fear because tomorrow, one of them will become a week 4 casualty. It is up to you guys to vote to save your favourites, which you can do starting right… NOW. Lines are open so you can vote at any point tonight. Anyways, without further ado, let's get this blood curdling competition up and running. First tonight, it's an over 28 who has already been in the bottom two once and desperately wants to stay out of it again. It's Kye Sones!"

Finn watched as Kye walked on and sang an okay cover of Let Me Entertain You by Robbie Williams. Although Kye hit every note in the song, he lacked the charisma and flair that Robbie Williams had when recording the song and was necessary for anyone who covered the song to have. His choreography was all right, but not superb either. All in all, it was not one of his best performances and the judges' comments reflected that.

The next act to go up was Union J. They sang Sweet Dreams by Beyonce - thankfully, a different Sweet Dreams to the one Finn was singing. However, unlike Kye, their performances definitely got better every week. Despite being in the bottom two last week, they had come back stronger than ever, and they were definitely a force to be reckoned with in the competition. In fact, given all the young female backing they had, they probably would make it to the final.

Rylan's performance, in one word, was HILARIOUS! He sang another mashup, this time it was a mashup of Toxic, Horny and Poison. It wasn't the best vocally - none of Rylan's performances were - so Gary severely disliked it, and made his feelings known about it. However, the other judges loved the entertainment factor of his performance. It wasn't his best performance on any front though, and although Finn didn't want to think about it, Rylan would probably be in the bottom two.

A complete contrast two Rylan's performance was the next act - Ella. She sang a breathtaking cover of Bring Me to Life. Although it was undeniably good, it wasn't nearly as good as her performances in the first and second weeks. It felt as if she had let the theme take over her performances over the past two weeks.

Christopher Maloney and District3's performance were both pretty cheesy - Christopher's more than the group's. Christopher had sung an average cover of (I Just) Died in Your Arms and the judges who weren't his mentor disliked it. In fact, there was such dispute between Tulisa and Gary about the performance that they started insulting each other - Gary basically calling Tulisa a stoner, and Tulisa retaliating by basically calling him a boozer. District3's performance, however, was a little better than Chris' - they sang Every Breath You Take by The Police.

Lucy did an excellent job at her performance. She sang a unique cover of Radiohead's Creep. It was so off-brand for her, but the huge risk that she took paid off. In fact, Finn thought that Lucy actually performed better than her fellow female competitor Ella.

Jahmene was the penultimate performer of the night, absolutely stealing the show with his performance of Killing Me Softly with His Song. The judges were speechless at this performance. None of them dared say anything bad about it in fear of being slaughtered by the audience.

Finally, it was time for Finn's performance. Somehow, he had drawn last performance again, and he was so unlucky about that. He had to sit and watch every other act nail their performances before he was finally shown backstage by one of the producers. Finn watched as Dermott announced him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, last but certainly not least, Finn Hudson!"

_Sweet Dreams are made of this_

_Who am I to disagree?_

_I traveled the world_

_And the seven seas._

_Everybody's looking for something_

_Some of them want to use you_

_Some of them want to be used by you_

_Some of them want to abuse you,_

_Some of them want to be abused_

_Ooooh, yeah yeah_

_Sweet dream are made of this,_

_And who am I to disagree?_

_I traveled the world_

_And the seven seas_

_Everybody's looking for something_

_Oooooh, Ooooh, Ooooh_

_Oh hold your head up_

_(Keep your head up)_

_Ooooh ooh_

_(Hold your head up)_

_Oh hold your head up_

_(Keep Your head up)_

_Ooh, Oooooh_

_(Sweet Dreams are made of this)_

_Sweet dreams, sweet dreams_

_(Who am I to disagree?)_

_Who am I? To Disagree_

_I traveled the world_

_And the seven seas_

_Everybody's looking for something_

_Sweet dreams are made of this_

**For the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=pyjUXjKf0Bo**

**Or Search… Sweet Dreams James Arthur**

By the end of the performance, the whole crowd was on their feet. Finn had floored both the judges and the audience with his unique, rock version of the popular song, and Nicole's stage and costume design had made Finn's halloween performance epic. There were even monks holding flaming torches standing around him. He started the performance quiet and slowly built up to an absolutely explosive final chorus. All four judges gave him a standing ovation - they couldn't argue with that performance.

"Finn!" Louis exclaimed. "Every week you bring something new to this show. I love what you were able to do with the Eurythmics' song. I love what you did last week. You're a very dark, intense performer. That is a good thing. We haven't had anybody like you on the X Factor before. That record deal cannot be too far away."

Tulisa went next.

""Finn, that is how you take an old-school classic and make it modern. I think that you are one of the most current, relevant performers in this competition. And for me I love how when you performed in Boston with One Direction, you looked so at home on that stage, in front of 50,000 people. You have a real urban edge to you, and I want to see even more of that week by week, because I'm loving that with you. Even bring back the guitar. Everything about you, I just think you could go so far in this competition, I really do. I think I can see you in the Finals."

"Wow, thank you." Finn said.

Gary, as always, went third.

"Finn, wow again. It wasn't just the performance of a great singer. It wasn't just the performance of a great artist. It was the performance of someone who wants to win this competition. Incredible. Great artistry. I can't come up with any more to say. It was just brilliant. Well done!"

"Thanks, Gary." Finn said. Finally, it was Nicole's turn to give her feedback.

"Finn Hudson, you are the difference. You are an international recording artist, and that is the difference. You had two less days to prepare than every one of the competitors because of your concert in Boston. And I just want to talk about that real quick. You were approached by One Direction on Sunday night to perform a concert that was on Tuesday night. You needed to memorise 20 songs in 48 hours and as a singer-songwriter, I know how difficult and nearly impossible that feat is. And somehow, you ended up walking onto that stage in Boston singing better than Zayn Malik himself! I truly hope people call up and vote for you and just recognise you for the great artist that you are. You brought soul, you brought blues, to halloween week, you made it your own. And I'm sure girls are going to be having Sweet Dreams about you tonight! That was dope, man."

Dermott joined Finn on stage for their quick chat before Finn goes off stage.

"From what I read, girls have sweet dreams about you every night." Dermott joked. "Um… now then. Let's talk about a couple of things. Firstly, One Direction! What was that like? It must have been extraordinary!"

"Yeah, well for me, One Direction are one of the best boy bands of all time and to just be in the same room as them is such an honor. The funny thing is though that I was genuinely going to tell them no, because this competition is a higher priority, and I didn't want to sing badly today due to lack of rehearsal. I'm now so happy that I said yes, and I just want to thank you so much, One Direction, for having me, if you're watching. It was a great night. Probably one of the best nights of my life."

"Well, clearly your short detour didn't compromise your performance at all. That was awesome! Old school classic, made it modern, monks with lanterns. I loved all of that! How was it for you?"

"I mean it was cool. You know, I was just doing my usual intense, dark thing, and I just decided on a rock song to do it with this time."

"Well, whatever you're doing is clearly working. You are absolutely killing this competition. Ladies and Gentlemen, vote for him to guarantee his place in next week's show. Finn Hudson everybody!"


	96. Chapter 96

That night flew by for Finn. It was Jaymi from Union J's birthday, so the contestants had a party for him. The night was a blur of tequila shots, drunk singing, and the only remnant Finn had of that night the next morning was his hangover. He woke up at around 11 am but amazingly, was the first of the contestants to wake up. Despite his internal pleas, he dragged himself to the gym to sweat out his hangover and thankfully, by the end of the 3 hour workout, he was feeling a lot better. The afternoon flew by too as he was 70% confident that he was through to next week's show. Soon, he was back in the greenroom, ready to perform the group performance with the other finalists. Weirdly, he wasn't even nervous about it. It was almost as though the gig with One Direction had boosted his confidence levels one hundred fold.

"Welcome to the X Factor Week 4 Results Show, where we will be finding out which amazing act will be leaving the competition. Stay tuned for that later, as well as performances from two absolute superstars performing for us. But first, for a few short minutes, our acts are putting their competitiveness and rivalry aside and are singing together. It's the X Factor finalists everybody!"

**Union J**

_I can't win, I can't reign_

_I will never win this game_

_Without you, without you_

**Rylan:**

_I am lost, I am vain_

**Lucy:**

_I will never be the same_

_Without you,_

**Rylan:**

_Without you_

**Kye:**

_I won't run, I won't fly_

_I will never make it by_

_Without you, without you_

**Jahmene:**

_I can't rest, I can't fight_

_All I need is you and I_

_Without you,_

**Christopher:**

_without you_

**All:**

_Oh oh oh!_

_You! You! You!_

_Without..._

_You! You! You!_

_Without... you_

**Finn:**

_I won't soar, I won't climb_

**Ella:**

_If you're not here, I'm paralyzed_

_Without you,_

**Finn:**

_Without you_

**District3:**

_I can't look, I'm so blind_

**Union J:**

_I lost my heart, I lost my mind_

_Without you,_

**All:**

_Without you_

_Oh oh oh!_

_You! You! You!_

_Without..._

_You! You! You!_

_Without... you_

_Without you_

_Oh oh oh!_

_You! You! You!_

_Without..._

_You! You! You!_

_Without... you_

**To see the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=gXERQKvCObY**

**Or… search 'Without You X Factor 2012'**

"One more time… the X Factor finalists!" Dermott exclaimed. "Last night was our halloween special. We had tricks and treats on stage and we had an absolute bloodbath at the judge's table. Thankfully everyone survived." Dermott joked. "Now, our next guests for this evening are a band who have taken this country by storm and also did exactly the same thing in Britain. They've been described as power pop or indie rock, but for us it's just Fun. Performing their best-selling single, it's Fun!"

_Give me a second I_

_I need to get my story straight_

_My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State_

_My lover she's waiting for me just across the bar_

_My seat's been taken by some sunglasses asking 'bout a scar, and_

_I know I gave it to you months ago_

_I know you're trying to forget_

_But between the drinks and subtle things_

_The holes in my apologies, you know_

_I'm trying hard to take it back_

_So if by the time the bar closes_

_And you feel like falling down_

_I'll carry you home_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Now I know that I'm not_

_All that you got_

_I guess that I, I just thought_

_Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart_

_But our friends are back_

_So let's raise a toast_

_'Cause I found someone to carry me home_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_The moon is on my side (Nananananana)_

_I have no reason to run (Nananananana)_

_So will someone come and carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_The angels never arrived (Nananananana)_

_But I can hear the choir (Nananananana)_

_So will someone come and carry me home (Nananananana)_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_So if by the time the bar closes_

_And you feel like falling down_

_I'll carry you home tonight_

Finn absolutely loved the song 'We Are Young.' It was such an incredible anthem, and they sang it numerous times in Glee ten years ago. After their performance, the band joined Dermott at the front of the stage.

"Boys, congratulations! That was such a huge hit - pretty much number 1 everywhere in the world at some point! Well done."

"Thank you so much." They said.

"So I'm guessing you guys are probably just doing a promo here in the States. When are you coming back to do a proper tour?"

"Um… I think March or April."

"Listen, it was great to have you with us. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Fun!"

The audience cheered as the band walked off stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your five minute warning!" Dermott said. "Vote for your favorite acts now as you only have around 5 minutes before phone lines close and you can't vote anymore. You have not got long. We've already had a couple of shocks this year, so if you want to save your acts, you know what to do. I only need two words to introduce the next performance of the night… No Doubt!"

The audience erupted in cheers and screamed as the members of No Doubt took to the stage.

_You and me_

_We used to be together_

_Everyday together_

_Always_

_I really feel_

_That I'm losing my best friend_

_I can't believe_

_This could be the end_

_It looks as though you're letting go_

_And if it's real_

_Well, I don't want to know_

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Our memories_

_They can be inviting_

_But some are altogether_

_Mighty frightening_

_As we die_

_Both you and I_

_With my head in my hands_

_I sit and cry_

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_(No, no, no)_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_And I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_It's all ending_

_We gotta stop pretending who we are_

_You and me_

_I can see us dying_

_Are we?_

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_(No, no)_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_And I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_I know what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't speak_

_Don't speak_

_Don't speak, oh_

_I know what you're thinking_

_And I don't need your reasons_

_I know you're good_

_I know you're good_

_I know you're real good, oh_

_La, la, la, la, la, la_

_La, la, la, la, la, la_

_Don't, don't, uh-huh_

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

No Doubt absolutely destroyed their performance. They were veterans on stage, so knew exactly how to work the fans. Although they weren't making new songs anymore, that didn't mean that they were rusty. In fact, it was the opposite. They had just perfected their existing songs.

"Guys, that was terrific! Thank you so much!" Dermott exclaimed. "You've been away for so long! You all look so great by the way."

"Thank you. We're just touring now. No more albums from us. At least, not yet." The drummer said.

"Gwen, Tony, you did the masterclass this week. Who impressed you most?"

"Um… I'm going to try so hard not to say Finn and Jahmene as I feel like everybody so far who's guest performed on this stage has said them, but I just… I can't. They deserve all the credit they're getting and more." Tony said.

"Yeah, Finn especially in my opinion." Gwen said. "It was just surreal for us to watch him in his element, without the nerves of elimination in his mind."

"Well that must have been kind of scary for him, singing to one of the biggest bands of the generation."

"Yeah, you could tell he was nervous as hell." Tony admitted. "But it almost added to his performance. His nerves made him a better singer, if you know what I'm saying."

"It's great to have you with us. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for No Doubt!"

After No Doubt had finally left the stage, both the audience and the contestants knew that there was only one thing left to do… Announce the results and have the showdown. The temperature in the room dropped. Tension was extremely high, and Dermott finally began to speak.

"So, lines are now closed and the results of the public vote are now in. It's time to find out who is safe and who is not. So let's welcome back our judges and their acts! First up, Tulisa and the girls!"

Tulisa, Ella and Lucy walked on stage together. Jade was no longer in the competition, so there were just two girls left in the competition as both groups were boy bands and the two remaining over 28s were both male. This meant nothing though. Both of the remaining female acts were such powerful singers and will probably make it far in the competition.

"Gary and the Over 28s! Kye and Christopher!"

The three men walked on stage together, all of them dressed in suits, but without ties. They waved at the audience as they descended the stages and onto the stage, taking their place next to the three women.

"Louis and the Groups! Union J and District3!"

The two groups walked on stage together. Although both groups sang completely different styles of music, the groups were still at the end of the day both boy bands, and that worried Louis. They would probably be splitting the vote between them, and this would probably prove more and more evident as weeks went on and more acts were eliminated. But he couldn't worry about that yet. One week at a time, Louis, he told himself.

"And finally, Nicole and the three remaining boys! Rylan, Finn and Jahmene!"

They quickly took their place on the stage, eager for Dermott to announce who was through.

"Well, it's time for the results." Dermott said. "The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the 7 acts going through to next week's show and the two who received the fewest votes will have to sing again in the showdown. Good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Union J!"

"Also through to next week's show is… Jahmene!"

"The third act safe and definitely returning next week is… Christopher!"

The boos in the audience reflected how everyone was feeling about Christopher going through.

"Also through to next week's show is… Finn!"

Finn let out a sigh of relief. He was through. He could calm down a bit now. Surprisingly, Ella wasn't through yet, along with Rylan, District3, Kye, Lucy.

"The fifth act through tonight is… Ella!"

Well, there it is. Well deserved. Only two more spots were certain in next week's show, and it was between four people.

"The sixth and penultimate act returning next week for sure is… Rylan!"

Finn smiled and let out a sigh of relief when his friend was called. One spot left, and Finn honestly had no idea which of the three acts was going to claim it.

"The final act through by public vote is… Lucy."

A deserved spot, but that left Kye and District3 in the bottom two - a guaranteed tight contest.'

"Well, that means Kye takes on District3, and the judges will be deciding who will be advancing. First up is District3. Good luck boys."

_Love is forever - as I lie awake_

_Beside you_

_I believed - there's no heaven_

_No hideaway - for the lonely_

_But I was wrong - crazy_

_It's gotta be strong_

_It's gotta be right_

_Only wanted to stay a while_

_Only wanted to play a while_

_Then you taught me to fly like a bird_

_Baby - thought I'd died and gone to heaven_

_Such a night I never had before_

_Thought I'd died and gone to heaven_

_Cause what I got there ain't no cure for_

_Ooo it's so easy_

_What you do to me all night angel_

_I never loved - I swear to God_

_Never needed no one, 'til you came along_

_Here I come baby_

_It's gotta be strong - it's gotta be right_

_Only wanted to stay awhile_

_Only wanted to play awhile_

_Then you taught me to fly like a bird_

_Baby - thought I'd died and gone to heaven_

_Such a night I never had before_

_Thought I'd died and gone to heaven_

_Cause what I got there ain't no cure for_

_I feel fast asleep - I feel drunk_

_I dream the sweetest dreams_

_Never wanna wake up_

_Never thought it could be this way_

_No doubt about it - can't live without it_

_Never thought it could be this good_

_You made love to me - the way it oughta be_

It was a dreamy performance from the three guys, and the judges' feedback reflected that. Next up was Kye, and as someone who had already been in the bottom two once, Kye had the edge in that aspect. Kye chose a pretty simple but iconic song for his showdown song… I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz.

_When I look into your eyes_

_It's like watching the night sky_

_Or a beautiful sunrise_

_Well, there's so much they hold_

_And just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul?_

_Well, I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_And when you're needing your space_

_To do some navigating_

_I'll be here patiently waiting_

_To see what you find_

_'Cause even the stars they burn_

_Some even fall to the earth_

_We've got a lot to learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_No, I won't give up_

_I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily_

_I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make_

_Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use_

_The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake_

_And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend_

_For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn_

_We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in_

_I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not_

_And who I am_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up, I'm still looking up_

_Well, I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)_

_God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)_

_We got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)_

_God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

It was a bit of a safe song to choose for such a crucial showdown, and it turned out to be Kye's undoing. An hour later, Kye Sones was officially eliminated from the X Factor, and District3 lived to fight another day. Finn fell asleep that night with a smile on his face. He was halfway through the competition, and was one step closer to a record deal!


	97. Chapter 97

The next day, Finn drove to the studio relatively early. They were going to discuss the next song for the competition. Apparently, week 5's theme was going to be huge, so Finn was anxious and excited to hear it. He entered the studio with Rylan and Jahmene, and they sat down at the desk with Nicole.

"Hey Nicole." They sat as they collapsed on the chairs before them.

"Hey boys." She smiled at them. "Great job on Saturday. All of you did great. We're halfway to the final and none of you have been eliminated!"

"Whoo! Let's go! All boys final?!"Jahmene exclaimed.

"Still a long time to go, man." Finn commented.

"Yeah, Finn's right. You guys are killing it so far, but we can't get complacent. There's still a while to go yet. So, are you ready to hear the theme for this week?"

"Yeah, what is it?" The boys asked excitedly.

"Well, this week is probably the easiest theme of the whole competition, which means the standard is going to be the highest. The topic is… Number 1 hits."

The boys smiled and started to chatter about different song ideas.

"I know you guys are clearly buzzing with ideas, and I love that, but we have some more urgent news."

"More urgent than what's going on on Saturday?" Rylan asked. Nicole nodded.

"Well, kind of. This is happening tonight. We are going to the premiere of Avengers: Endgame tonight!"

"No way! I don't believe it!" Jahmene exclaimed.

"You better believe it! The competition managed to score the judges and remaining contestants tickets to the premiere tonight. All of the cast are going to be there: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and all of them, as well as many other celebrities. It's gonna be epic. So there's no rehearsal today. You guys are going to the barber's, put on your tuxes, and then we're going to the premiere. We've gotta be there almost an hour and a half early for the red carpet welcome and the meet and greet with all of the celebrities."

The three guys grinned widely at each other, and they practically sprinted to the barber's to get ready.

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"Dude, come on! Let's go already!" Jahmene shouted.

Finn, Jahmene and Rylan were in Rylan and Finn's room, and Rylan was doing some last minute adjustments to his hair in the bathroom. Jahmene and Finn were sitting in the armchairs, unamused by the length of time their friend was taking.

"Man, I'm absolutely buzzing for tonight!" Finn exclaimed. Jahmene laughed and nodded.

"Me too, man. Me too. Now if Rylan would just HURRY UP…" Jahmene shouted at the door. "We could actually leave!"

Finn chuckled. Eventually, Rylan stepped out of the bathroom and the three guys set off for the New York Convention Center, where the premiere was being held. The minute they stepped out of the hotel, they realised something… there was like 300 people outside the hotel, screaming their names. They signed a couple of autographs, took a couple of selfies, before they had to leave for the convention center.

The drive to the premiere was incredible. Their limo was chased by crazy fans every step of the way, and they had young women knocking on the car windows whenever they stopped at traffic lights. Eventually, they made it to the Convention Center, and when they stepped out of the car, their mouths dropped…

No weeks on the X Factor could have ever prepared them for what they were about to witness. In fact, the premiere made the X Factor seem like a simple bar gig. It was like nothing they had ever seen before. After all, the premiere for the most anticipated movie of the decade was obviously going to be special.

The red carpet beckoned to them like quicksand. It glimmered with the flash of the hundreds of cameras trained on the short stretch of space, only made brighter by the stars who walked it. Finn and the X Factor competitors were so honored to have the honor and privilege of being able to walk the same carpet that icons such as Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson and many other famous actors were walking. What's more was that they even got to mingle and chat with the celebrities. It was like they were in high society.

Walking down the red carpet was an absolutely amazing experience for Finn. All of the fans were screaming his name. Back in the Army, he was used to getting screamed at as he stepped out into the open, but it usually was a sergeant, screaming at him to get a fuck down as the officer through a grenade. Finn signed a couple of autographs as he walked down the carpet, and he stopped at a guy, around the same age as him, who looked vaguely familiar but Finn couldn't place where from.

"Finn! Finn! You're fucking amazing! You have to win the X Factor, and I'm going to get a copy of your winner's single the day it comes out if it's the last thing I do!"

Finn laughed.

"Thanks. It means a lot. What's your name, man?" Finn asked him.

"David, David Karofsky." He replied. Finn's jaw dropped.

"Wait, Karofsky? Like from McKinley?" Finn asked, astonished. "You look so different. It's me, Finn! The Quarterback!"

That was definitely true. Karofsky looked nothing like the jock he used to be in high school. He had lost a bit of weight, his hair was curly, and his face wasn't etched in the scowl Finn was used to seeing in high school. But that wasn't the most shocking change about him. What surprised Finn the most was that in Karofsky's arms was a small kid who looked like a younger carbon copy of his dad.

"Wait, Hudson? I thought you were dead? There was a memorial for you at McKinley!"

"Yeah, long story short… POW for two years. Not dead. Did you seriously not recognise me when I was on TV? After all, I do have the same name!"

"Well I just assumed that it was someone else with the same name. After all, you look nothing like you did in high school. You look great now. Like really good."

"Um…" Finn said, a bit surprised at the end of the remark from Karofsky. "Excuse me?"

"Oh! I just realised that you wouldn't have known because you were in the army at the time. Around 9 years ago, I actually came out as gay."

Finn was yet again shell shocked.

"You? Gay? Seriously?" Finn stammered.

"Don't tell me you're homophobic, Hudson! Especially given that half of your Glee club in high school was gay."

"No, no, I'm not. I swear. I'm just surprised. Like you're one of the last people I would've suspected to be gay in high school. I mean, no offense, but you did try and hurt Santana and Brittany with a knife. And you called the Glee club Homo Explosion."

"Look, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to skip a Broadway show in a Louis Vuitton scarf like Hummel, but I realised that the reason I tried to hurt Santana and Brittany was that I was jealous. I was jealous that they were able to be who they wanted to be in public, and I was stuck in the closet. But I've grown up now. I got married 5 years ago, and we recently adopted Jeremiah 2 years ago. I've honestly never been happier." He said, gesturing to the baby in his arms. Finn smiled.

"Well, I'm so happy that everything worked out for you at the end. Just remember to vote for me on the X Factor and we won't have any more problems!" Finn joked and Karofsky chuckled.

"Yessir." He replied. Finn finally stepped out from the red carpet area and into the outdoor lounge area, where the celebrities were chatting with each other, and were being interviewed by some of the cameras. Finn was introduced to the best F1 driver in the world Lewis Hamilton, the actor of Thor in the movie Chris Hemsworth and singer-songwriter Britney Spears within 5 minutes of entering the lounge. A TV reporter called over to them when they walked too close to the gang of reporters and journalists.

"Really quickly Mr. Hemsworth, Mr. Hamilton, Ms. Spears, we know you all watch the X Factor. Who are your favourites to win?"

"Should I cover my ears for this or something?" Finn joked.

"Well I do watch the X Factor, and my favourites are Jahmene, Ella and Finn." Britney Spears said.

"For me, it's Finn and Lucy." Lewis said.

"Um… my favourites are Jahmene and Finn."

Finn smirked.

"And guess who's name was the only one said three times?" Finn remarked, and they laughed. Finn then moved to chat with some other celebrities, before being called into the theater to watch the film.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Finn loved the movie. He loved it so much. In the Army, they didn't have access to many movies, so they were only able to watch big, famous movies. Marvel's Avengers, being the most popular film franchise in history, was one of few movie options they had, so Finn had watched the existing movies so many times during his breaks or vacation time while he was on base. But to be honest, it wasn't the movie that was the best part of the night: it was the experience of being treated like royalty for the evening. Him and the other finalists were exposed to what life as a celebrity could be like, and all of the perks and pandering they got. Finn was even offered to go to a bar with Lewis Hamilton and Calum Scott - the two men he was sitting between while he was watching the movie - for a couple of drinks that night. It was an unbelievable experience, and definitely one that Finn never suspected possible two years ago. All he could do that night was thank god that Red was placed on the Earth, and Finn was blessed enough to cross paths with him long enough for the bartender to convince him to apply for the X Factor.


	98. Chapter 98

_**CHAPTER 98** _

The day after the premiere, the work for week 5 really began. It was pretty tough - they needed to be absolutely perfect on Saturday. Because the theme was so easy this week, the performances were surely going to be world class. Finn needed something unique, something unexpected, something awesome. He decided on singing something that was similar to both his first audition and his judge's house - it was a dance song that he was transforming into a soulful, emotional number. He was going to sing Diamonds by Rihanna.

On Friday night, the day before their performances, there was a scheduled segment for a couple of the finalists, but they had no idea what the segment was exactly. Finn, Jahmene, Rylan, Ella, Lucy and Christopher were the finalists who were invited to the segment, and they were told to come to the business lounge of the hotel at 5 in the evening. At 5 pm on the dot, the 6 contestants walked down together and when they walked into the business lounge, they had to blink to make sure they weren't imagining anything. The lounge had been transformed to a kitchen that looked like something out of a cooking competition show. Two stations were set up opposite each other, each of them containing everything one would need for cooking a meal of any size. There were even two barbeque grills on the terrace outside. Before they could ask any questions, Caroline Flack walked up to them, and they realised that the show was already recording.

"Good evening Finalists. How are you all today?" She asked them.

"Very confused." Finn replied, and everyone replied.

"Well, you guys won't be confused for much longer. What we have here is a cooking competition. Earlier this week, Union J and District3 competed against each other, and tonight, the three boys - Finn, Rylan and Jahmene - will be competing against the two girls and the one remaining over - Ella, Lucy and Chris. You will each be cooking for us a course and a dessert. Your food will be tasted and evaluated by the four lovely judges who will be judging you on your performances tomorrow night, so make sure you don't poison them! Or do, depending on who you are." Caroline joked. "Judges, come on out now!"

Tulisa, Nicole, Gary and Louis all walked into the room and sat at a makeshift judges table at the front of the room. They smiled and waved at the contestants, who were dumbfounded at what was going on.

"Wait, so we're on a cooking show?" Jahmene asked, still so confused. To be honest, they all were.

"No, you're on a cooking show episode of the Xtra Factor. You and the two boys will be in the kitchen to my left, and Ella, Lucy and Christopher, you will be in the kitchen to my right. You have 3 hours. Good luck."

Both teams rushed to their respective counters. They started by eyeing the various different foods they had at their disposal. There was everything - vegetables, meat, eggs, cheeses, and so, so much more. Both teams did not start preparing or cooking yet: instead, they discussed with their teammates what they wanted to make, and what their extent of cooking ability was.

"So, can anyone here cook because I definitely can't?" Rylan asked Finn and Jahmene. Finn raised his hand but Jahmene shook his head.

"I can't cook for my life." Jahmene admitted.

"I can." Finn replied calmly. Rylan laughed ironically.

"Of course the jock can cook, but Jahmene and I can't." Rylan remarked. Finn laughed and raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Finn asked. "And anyways, my cooking might not be the best, but my grilling is really good. I can grill steaks on the barbeque. Oh, and I can also bake mini potatoes in the oven to go with them."

"Great! Let's do that!" Rylan exclaimed. "Finn, you grill steaks and bake the potatoes, I'll make a side salad. Jahmene, you can start working on dessert."

"Um… I have no idea how to make dessert." Jahmene said. "I can be the dishwasher. Or the waiter."

"Ok, Jahmene can be the dishwasher. Now go ask the judges how they want their steaks." Finn said. Jahmene nodded and walked towards the judges. He rejoined his teammates moments later.

"Two medium, two medium rare." Jahmene told Finn. Finn nodded.

"By the way…" Finn said. "I know how to bake a cake, and I know how to bake brownies for dessert later. Oh, and I also know how to make homemade ice cream so we can do that. Jahmene can also cut up some berries and fruit to go along with it." Finn said. Rylan raised an eyebrow.

"OK, I can understand how you know how to handle a barbeque G.I Joe, but baking? Homemade ice cream? What's up with that Betty Crocker?" Rylan smirked. Finn blushed and rolled his eyes.

"Shut up. My ex back in high school was really good at baking so I learnt a bit along the way. Now we need to start. We don't have much time as it is. Let's kick some ass!" Finn exclaimed. The guys whooped and cheered. They wanted to beat the girls and Christopher so badly - not for any formal prize because there wasn't one. They wanted to win for the bragging rights, and to prove that boys could cook just as well, if not better, than girls, going against traditional gender roles.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"OK, we've got this in the bag! There's no way they stand a chance at beating us." Lucy exclaimed, clapping her hands together. Ella raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Ella asked. Lucy smiled.

"Look at them." She said, pointing to the guys' work station. "Jahmene is doing absolutely nothing, and do you really think Finn and Rylan know how to cook? Finn literally spent most of his life either homeless or in the Army - neither of which involve any cooking at all. And Rylan is probably going to want to make some bougie-ass food that the other guys are going to say no to immediately."

"Look, I hear you, but shouldn't we focus on ourselves, and not what they're doing?" Ella asked. Lucy shrugged.

"Fine, look at us. Christopher, you know how to cook, right? You moved into your nan's place to take care of her so you probably cook every day."

"She's right." Christopher said. "I cook three meals a day."

"See? And I know that you and I can definitely cook better than those bozos over there. Remember, we don't have to have world-class food: we just need to be better than them. It's not going to be that hard."

If only they knew!

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"OK Rylan, potatoes and steaks are done. Put your salad in a bowl and Jahmene can give the food to the judges." Finn said. "We need to get started on dessert too. There's only one and a half hours left."

Rylan nodded and quickly took the main course food and made it look pretty on the various plates, which he put on a tray. It was then finally time for Jahmene to do something, as he had been pretty useless so far. Jahmene took the tray and walked to the judges' table, strutting past the girls' and Christopher's station in the process. He winked at them as he walked past. Their mouths even dropped as they caught a whiff of the delectable dishes in Jahmene's hands. What the hell? The guys had cooked that?

"Well, that's not good." Lucy said, looking at the boys, who were waving at them annoyingly.

"What do you mean? It smells delicious." Christopher remarked, confused.

"I know, you dumbass. I meant not good for us. Those guys just served some masterchef steak right there and we're sitting here cooking what? Chicken, which anyone can just buy from the supermarket. Please tell me we've got something good for dessert, Ella!" Lucy said, exasperatedly. While Lucy and Christoper were in charge of the main course, Ella was in charge of dessert. She was baking a pan of brownies.

"Yeah, my brownies are good. But if the boys' dessert is as good at the main course, we stand no chance. Look at the judges! They're loving the guys' steak!" Ella said, pointing to the judges' table, where the four judges were tucking into the steak meal with huge smiles on their faces.

"I mean, I guess we should have suspected that. I mean every guy knows how to use a grill, huh? It's like dude 101, right?" Lucy said.

"She kinda has a point." Chris added. "Most guys I know know how to handle a barbeque."

"Yeah, somehow I'm guessing that it wasn't really Jahmene or Rylan who contributed towards that. They don't seem too testosteroney." Ella said, laughing as he looked at the three guys. Lucy nodded.

"Yeah, obviously it wasn't either of them. Finn's probably the only one of them who knows how to do that shit. But you know what he doesn't know how to do? Bake brownies!" Lucy exclaimed. Ella raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't be so sure." She said, pointing to the guys' station, which Lucy and Chris had their backs to. The two of them turned around and their mouths dropped…

Finn had just taken 3 cakes out of the freezer - two vanilla cakes and one chocolate one - and was proceeding to delicately stack the cakes on top of each other in the order of Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla, carefully adding a layer of buttercream frosting between each layer, which they had made from scratch. The girls watched in shock and awe as after Finn had added the buttercream layer in between each cake, he spread the icing all around and on top of the three layer divine treat. He then masterfully rolled out some premade white fondant, before spreading it carefully over the buttercream covered cake. Jahmene and Rylan were as speechless as the girls and Chris as they watched Finn work.

"Dude, I hope to god the cake's as good as it looks." Rylan said. Finn laughed.

"Me too, man. As many times as my ex-girlfriend showed me how to make a cake, I can't be too sure that I didn't fuck something up."

"Well that's reassuring." Jahmene remarked, sarcastically. Finn glared at him.

"So Jahmene, what have you done to contribute so far?" Finn asked. Jahmene blushed, murmured something about dishwashing, before stepping back. The final step of the cake was probably the hardest: making a chocolate X Factor logo out of modelling chocolate. It involves using red, black and white modelling chocolate, and then they also added star cake pops at the top of the cake.

It was an absolute masterpiece, and they weren't the only one who thought so. The judges' faces lit up when they saw the cake before them, and they were practically bouncing with anticipation when Finn handed them each a neatly cut slice.

"Wow, that looks incredible." Gary commented as Finn handed him the first slice.

"Thanks." Finn replied, smiling.

"Wow, did Rylan make it?" Tulisa asked. Finn couldn't help but laugh. Baking a beautiful, delicate cake seemed much more like something Rylan would do than Finn.

"You would think, wouldn't you? Nah, Rylan and Jahmene gathered ingredients and cleaned up after. I baked the cake."

The judges were shocked.

"You made it? That seems kinda… off-brand for you." Nicole remarked, groaning in satisfaction as she took a bite out of the cake. "Wow, this is delicious, dude. Like this could be professional baker quality. How the hell did you know how to make a cake like this? I've seen you every day for the past 5 weeks and I must say, you don't strike as the kind of guy who stays up late watching Masterchef."

Finn chuckled.

"You're right about that. I couldn't care less about baking. My ex-girlfriend, she loved baking and she was damn good at it too. She tried to teach me how to bake, and I guess I remembered more than I thought."

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense." Tulisa laughed, and then she took her first bite of the dessert before making the exact same moan as Nicole. "Wow… just wow. This is amazing."

"Thanks. Enjoy your cake guys." Finn said, and he walked back to the rest of his friends. He then cut three more slices of cake and him, Rylan and Jahmene walked over to the girls and Chris. They smirked triumphantly and held out the three plates.

"Cake?" Rylan asked, grinning at them.

"Hell, nah. We're not accepting defeat yet. Nor are we trying your cake!" Lucy exclaimed. Chris and Ella rolled their eyes at Lucy's dramaticness.

"Whatever, I just want cake." Ella and Chris said, taking two of the plates and trying the cake. They almost started drooling in ecstasy.

"Dude, that's amazing!" Ella exclaimed. "Lucy, you should try some of this!"

Lucy reluctantly took the third plate and tried a bite. She could help but smile.

"I stand corrected. This is sublime."

Finn smiled to himself. Mission successful.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Unsurprisingly, the boys were crowned victors over the girls/over. Apparently, Union J had been crowned victors over District3 earlier that day, but as the judges recounted the experience and showed them pictures, they realised that those guys' efforts were absolutely inedible, and both meals looked horrific too.

It had been such a fun night and without the contestants knowing it, it had officially done exactly what the judges had hoped and wanted: it had distracted the contestants from thinking about the big performance tomorrow. All of them fell asleep immediately that night with the traces of laughter still on their faces, completely relaxed about the events of the next day.


	99. Chapter 99

"Welcome back to the X Factor! Your Saturday night starts right here! We are live on ITV 1 and we are halfway through the live shows. Where has the time gone? But there's still a long way to go before the grand final. This week's theme… number 1 hits!"

The audience cheered in approval of what Dermott had just informed them.

"Yup. Finally a theme that our judges can't argue about much. Every song hugely loved, and I imagine that you all won't be too forgiving if our acts don't do them justice. So, there's fireworks all over the country for Guy Fawkes night, but nowhere more than right here. Please welcome 4 sparkling rockets… the X Factor judges!"

The judges walked on stage this week hand in hand. Tensions had lowered slightly between them. Although the competition was getting more and more competitive each week, there were less controversial decisions at this point of the competition so there were less arguments among the judges.

"78 number one hits between these 4 right here, only 1 of them can reign supreme. Right, the way you can be involved in the competition is to vote for your favourite, which you can do starting right… NOW! Phone lines are now open and will close tomorrow night. So, Gary, let's talk about last week. You lost yet another act. What do you have to say about that?"

"Well Kye was just an amazing person to work with. I know that not only I, but the entire competition is going to miss him very much. I know this is not the end of Kye, and it's not the last you guys are going to see of him. Big, big things to come."

"And Louis, both of your boy bands have been in the bottom two. Have you taken them away to some weird Louis bootcamp and given them a talking to this week."

"No, it's just been a really good reality check for both of them. They both have to work harder. I think we're through this week."

"And Tulisa, you weren't in the bottom two last week! Hallelujah!" Dermott exclaimed.

"You don't have to keep reminding me. When an act goes out of the competition like Jade did two weeks ago, it just encourages the others to work harder. When Jade got eliminated, both Ella and Lucy put in almost twice the effort because they realised that nobody is really safe in this competition."

"And Nicole, what have you got planned for your boys this week. You're the only judge still with three acts left so clearly you're doing something right."

"Yeah, I can't believe it's week 5 already! We're halfway through, and the competition is stiff so everybody has to go big or go home tonight."

"Thank you very much. Now, without further ado, our first act tonight is a huge performer, and when I say that, I mean that literally. He's so tall! He's Gary's favourite act… it's Rylan Clark!"

Rylan was the first act of the night to perform. As usual, his performance was not very strong vocally, but it was made up for in enthusiasm and entertainment. He sang yet another mashup, this time it was a mix of Hung Up and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme a man after midnight.

The next act was probably Finn's favourite of the whole night. It was Union J's performance, and they sang a divine cover of Love Story by Taylor Swift. After being in the bottom 2 two weeks ago, Union J had successfully staked their claim of being one of the favourites of the competition. They had been given a lifeline by the judges two weeks ago, and they needed to turn all of the negativity they were feeling into positive energy, and really come out fighting to prove to the judges why they deserved to be in the competition.

Finn was the third act to perform. He was slightly nervous about this performance as it was pretty different to the style of his usual stuff - although he was covering a dance song, this time, the performance was a lot less intense than his other ones, and showed off his vocal skills a lot more. It was almost like something Jahmene would sing, although Finn couldn't sing nearly as well as him.

"All right, next up, second of the boys, there is no doubt that this guy's incredible… It's Finn Hudson!"

_Find light in the beautiful sea_

_I choose to be happy_

_You and I, you and I_

_We're like diamonds in the sky_

_I knew that we'd become_

_One right away, Oh right away_

_At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays_

_I saw the life_

_So shine bright, tonight, you and I_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_Palms rise to the universe_

_As we moonshine and molly_

_Feel the warmth we'll never die_

_We're like diamonds in the sky_

_At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays_

_I saw the life_

_So shine bright, tonight, so alive_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_Eye to eye, so alive_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_Shine bright like a diamond_

_Beautiful like diamonds in the sky._

Although Finn had taken a risk with this performance, it seemed to have paid off as it took awhile for the audience to finally quiet down so the judges could give their feedback.

"Finn Hudson, I love the way you take a chance every single week. You take a gamble. You take a really well-known song, but you give it a whole new Finn Hudson interpretation. That's a real talent. That's a real skill for you to be able to do. I think you have a lot of talent. You deserve a record deal. I want people to lift the phones and vote for you because you deserve to be on the stage." Louis said. Great feedback.

"You know what Finn?" Tulisa said. "That performance was actually really kind of stripped back and relaxed from your usual stuff which at this point in the competition, you think people want to up their game more, do something more out there but you know what? I feel like because you've established yourself so much as a contender in this competition, it doesn't matter. I felt like I was watching Finn Hudson at his own concert, doing an album track, but that doesn't matter because I love Finn's album. And that's the only way I describe your performance. It was really good, and I loved it."

Finn expected to hear something like this as he had indeed taken his foot off the gas a miniscule bit, but the judges were so trained and qualified in the industry that they notice even the tiniest things.

"Well Finn, another brilliant performance tonight. I mean I think you're your own worst enemy in some ways because the performances get better and better and I think what's he going to come back with next week? You just seem to pull it out of the bag every week, you flip the song up, you make it your own. It's absolutely wonderful. I loved it. I always look forward to listening to you." Gary said.

Nicole smiled at him. "Finn, even though I'm your mentor, I watch you up there and I'm so in awe of you. You just bring so much authenticity to the show, to that stage, to every moment. I just, I've seen you do this a million times, but every time is like the first time, and I know when you sing it, it's like the first time. And I just, I respect you so much. People don't realise how hard you work on the things that we go through, and you listen to all of the feedback, and you just blow my mind, man."

"Thank you." Finn said to the judges, and then Dermott, as usual, joined him on stage for a quick chat.

"I think there's not much you can say to that, huh Finn? Great comments across the board. Think about what Tulisa said: it's like we're in a Finn Hudson concert. I know you look forward to the performances, right?"

"Yeah, I don't really know what to say because the comments were just phenomenal. Tulisa, especially, thank you."

"One last thing, on the Xtra Factor last night, we saw you bake this gorgeous cake. Who knew that Finn Hudson, strong and silent, tall, dark and handsome competition could bake?"

Finn laughed.

"What can I say? There's more to my diet than grilling steaks, burgers and sausages on the grill. When you love eating as much as I do, you pick up a couple of tricks."

"OK, to vote for Gordon Ramsey, I mean Finn…" Dermott joked before stating the phone number that the audience needed to call to vote for a competitor. Finn was cheered by the audience as he walked off stage and back to the greenroom. YES! He had nailed it!

The next person to perform was one of few who could rival Finn's performance - Ella. Last week, it was the first time that she had properly received criticism and negative comments, so she knew that she needed to come back with a bang. She let the themes take over her, rather than her putting herself in the themes. So this week, she really wanted to go back to her roots. To bring it back to how she was at her audition. She had read on the X Factor polls that Finn had just overtaken her to claim second place (Jahmene had started the competition at first and had kept that position to date) and Ella wanted to show the audience that she was still there, and still fighting hard in the competition. She sang the ever popular Firework by Katy Perry, a song that although a bit high for her voice, she still did a great job at. She had transformed the song into a unique piano ballad, which helped win over the judges.

District3 went next. They were infinitely better than last week, and they sang Dynamite by Taio Cruz - an old-school hit that they made modern in an amazing way. The judges had glowing feedback for them and it was unlikely that they would be in the bottom two this week.

Lucy was the next person to perform, and as always, she had put a unique spin on a song. She opted for a song that like her fellow girl competitor Ella, was by the infamous Katy Perry. It was a polar opposite style though. While Ella went with a piano ballad version of Firework, Lucy went with a cheerful, bouncy cover of Roar.

The penultimate performance of the night was Jahmene, who sang a flooring cover of Listen by Beyonce. At this point, the audience had completely forgotten about every act but Jahmene, Ella and Finn. It was unbelievable that just a few months ago, he was working in a supermarket, doing the markdown of products. It was like a whole world away for him, and he expressed all of the emotion in his music. He was desperate not to have to go back to that life.

Christopher rounded up the show with once again, a pretty average performance. It was a cover of All By Myself. Although Christopher's performances were boring the socks off all of the judges and competitors, he was clearly doing something right as he was getting the votes each week and wasn't put in the bottom two so far. This meant that he performed the same kind of songs every week and went through each week.

Overall, the performances that night were incredible. It was impossible to tell who would be in the bottom two, but Finn was relatively confident that he, Jahmene and Ella weren't in the bottom two. He wasn't sure about Rylan though. Rylan was a huge risk to bring to live shows in the first place, so his future in the competition was blurry every week.


	100. Chapter 100

"Welcome to the X Factor Week 5 Results Show!" Dermott exclaimed. "It's hard to believe that in just 5 weeks time, one of those acts backstage will be crowned this year's X Factor winner. But first, In one hour's time, one act will be leaving the competition for good. But, performing for us tonight, making her debut on the X Factor stage, British sensation Rita Ora!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and screams.

"Also with us tonight, from here in the U.S, the amazing pop-rock band Imagine Dragons!"

The crowd started shouting in excitement and anticipation again.

"But first, competition might be getting fiercer by the week, but somehow they're still able to put to one side for a few short minutes and perform like they're one big, happy family. Singing live, it's the X Factor finalists!"

**Union J:**

_Feeling my way through the darkness_

_Guided by a beating heart_

**District3:**

_I can't tell where the journey will end_

_But I know where to start_

**Jahmene:**

_They tell me I'm too young to understand_

_They say I'm caught up in a dream_

**Finn:**

_Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes_

_Well that's fine by me_

**All:**

_So wake me up when it's all over_

_When I'm wiser and I'm older_

_All this time I was finding myself_

_And I didn't know_ _I was lost_

**Lucy:**

_I tried carrying the weight of the world_

_But I only have two hands_

**Ella:**

_I hope I get the chance to travel the world_

_But I don't have any plans_

**Rylan:**

_I wish that I could stay forever this young_

_Not afraid to close my eyes_

**Christopher:**

_Life's a game_ _made for everyone_

_And love is the prize_

**All:**

_So wake me up when it's all over_

_When I'm wiser and I'm older_

_All this time I was finding myself_

_And I didn't know_ _I was lost_

_So wake me up when it's all over_

_When I'm wiser and I'm older_

_All this time I was finding myself_

_And I didn't know_ _I was lost_

"One more time… The X Factor finalists! Now, it's time for our first guest. She's got a great voice, a great look and she's been an X Factor guest judge. Her newest single has gone straight to number 1. 4 Number 1 Singles, a Number 1 debut album, 2.5 Million records sold this year, with her new single, It's Rita Ora!"

_Time flies by when the night is young_

_Daylight shines on an undisclosed location, location_

_Bloodshot eyes looking for the sun_

_Paradise delivered and we call it a vacation, vacation_

_You're painting me a dream that I_

_Wanna belong in, wanna belong in_

_Over the hills and far away_

_A million miles from L.A._

_Just anywhere away with you_

_I know we've got to get away_

_Someplace where no one knows our name_

_We'll find the start to something new_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Fun, little less fun_

_Little less, over, over, over, over, me_

_Oh, fun, little less fun_

_Little less, over, over, over, over, me_

_Truth comes out when we're blacking out_

_Looking for connection in a crowd of empty faces, empty faces_

_Your secrets are the only thing I'm craving now_

_The good, and the bad, let me in_

_'Cause I can take it, I can take it_

_You're painting me a dream that I_

_Wanna belong in, wanna belong in_

_Over the hills and far away_

_A million miles from L.A._

_Just anywhere away with you_

_I know we've got to get away_

_Someplace where no one knows our name_

_We'll find the start to something new_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Fun, little less fun_

_Little less, over, over, over, over, me_

_Oh, fun, little less fun_

_Little less, over, over, over, over, me_

_Take me anywhere_

_Oh, anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Take me anywhere_

_Over the hills and far away_

_A million miles from L.A._

_Just anywhere away with you_

_I know we've got to get away_

_Someplace where no one knows our name_

_We'll find the start to something new_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Just take me anywhere, take me anywhere_

_Anywhere away with you_

_Fun, little less fun_

_Little less, over, over, over, over, me_

_Oh_

"It's Rita Ora!" Dermott exclaimed as the audience cheered. "Now listen, your new single Anywhere, it's out today right?"

"Yeah, it's actually out right now." She replied.

"And we loved you when you were a guest judge. A great track record. You were a guest judge at the audition of the group that's now Union J, Kye's audition, Rylan's audition. Do you have a favourite?"

"Do you know what? I actually love all of the people you named, but to tell you the truth, I love watching Finn Hudson. I mean don't get me wrong, I saw Kye's first audition and I love his voice, but there's something about Finn's voice. That's just my personal opinion. Everyone's great though, and they all have their personal strengths."

"Thank you so much for being here with us. Ladies and Gentlemen… Rita Ora!"

The audience clapped as the music icon walked off stage. Rita Ora had conquered almost everything a singer possibly could, and was aiming for her first elusive Grammy with her new single. It definitely wouldn't be out of reach.

"So, you have all been voting for the past 24 hours on behalf of your favourite acts. Thank you so much but lines are now CLOSED! Please don't call in now: it's too late for your vote to count. So, our second guest, or rather guests, are one of the biggest pop rock bands of the generation. With their number 1 hit Radioactive, please welcome Imagine Dragons!"

_Whoa, oh, oh_

_Whoa, oh, oh_

_Whoa, oh, oh_

_Whoa_

_I'm waking up to ash and dust_

_I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust_

_I'm breathing in the chemicals_

_I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus_

_This is it, the apocalypse_

_Whoa oh_

_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_

_Enough to make my system blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_I raise my flag and dye my clothes_

_It's a revolution, I suppose_

_We're painted red to fit right in_

_Whoa oh_

_I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus_

_This is it, the apocalypse_

_Whoa oh_

_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_

_Enough to make my system blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_All systems go, the sun hasn't died_

_Deep in my bones, straight from inside_

_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_

_Enough to make my system blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

"Ladies and Gentlmen, give it up for Imagine Dragons!" Dermott exclaimed as the band walked off stage after the performance. "So, the voting lines are closed and the results are in. It's time to find out who is safe and who is not. Let's welcome back the judges and their acts!"

"Tulisa with her two remaining acts: Ella and Lucy!"

"Gary and his only remaining over 28: Christopher!"

"Louis and the groups: District3 and Union J!"

"And finally, Nicole and her three remaining boys: Jahmene, Rylan and Finn. All right, it's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the 6 acts definitely going through to next week's show, and the two who received the least number of votes will have to sing again in the sing off. Good luck to everyone. Without further ado, the first act through is… Christopher."

Uh oh. If Christopher was through, one of the more credible competitors was going to be eliminated, as Christopher was the last of the less good singers.

"The next act through is… Jahmene!"

Nobody doubted that Jahmene was going through. His cover of Listen was breath-taking, and had the crowd all speechless.

"The third act proceeding to next week's show is… Union J!"

Again, that was expected. As a budding boy band, they had so much support from young female viewers, enough to possibly take them to the finals. However, unlike Christopher, Union J could potentially be the next big recording artist whereas the furthest Christopher would probably go is singing in a matinee show of Cabaret.

"The next act definitely singing again next week is… District3!"

So both boy bands were through. This was really good for them but pretty bad for Finn. First of all, they were both really good and genuinely had the potential to win the competition. But more pressingly, there were only 2 guaranteed spots left and there were four competitors still on stage - Ella, Finn, Rylan and Lucy. Finn really didn't want to be competing against any of those huge names in a showdown, least of all Ella. If he had to compete against Ella, he might as well pack his bags from now. He glanced down the line at Ella, who was looking at him with the exact same nervous expression on her face.

"The penultimate act through is… Finn!"

The whole arena let out a sigh of relief when Finn joined the safe acts at the side of the stage, Finn letting out the loudest one of all. He was through, but one of Ella, Rylan and Lucy wasn't. Finn prayed that Lucy was one of two names in the bottom two because although she was good, Finn really didn't want to have to watch his two best friends in the competition battle for survival.

"And now, the final act definitely performing next week is… Ella!"

Finn smiled a little as Ella joined him and the others. As much as he loved Rylan and Lucy, if anyone deserved that final spot, it was definitely Ella. That meant that Lucy and Rylan would be battling it out in the showdown, and Finn was unsure about who would come out victorious. Gary would definitely be voting against Rylan, and Tulisa would too as she would vote for her own act. Nicole on the other hand was bound to vote for her own act (Rylan), so it would all come down to Louis' vote.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Rylan will be taking on Lucy in the final showdown. They will each be singing a song that they believe will keep them in the competition. Then, it's over to the judges to decide their fate. Singing first will be Rylan, so Lucy if you could come and stand with me. Rylan, the floor's yours."

_Pride can stand_

_A thousand trials_

_The strong will never fall_

_But watching stars without You_

_My soul cried_

_Heaving heart is full of pain_

_Oh, oh, the aching_

_'Cause I'm kissing you, oh_

_I'm kissing you_

_Touch me deep_

_Pure and true_

_Gift to me forever_

_'Cause I'm kissing you, oh_

_I'm kissing you_

_Yeah hey_

_Yeah_

_Where are you now?_

_Where are you now?_

_'Cause I'm kissing you_

_I'm kissing you, oh_

At the end of the song, everyone clapped. To be fair to Rylan, it was probably his best vocal performance of the series, but the audience were a bit preoccupied wondering what Lucy would sing. Rylan had chosen a soft ballad, in which he just stood with a mic and sang without all of the dancing, gimmicks and distractions from his only average voice.

"Not a dance move in sight. Give it up for Rylan!" Dermott said. "Lucy, take your place please. Best of luck."

_When I look into your eyes_

_It's like watching the night sky_

_Or a beautiful sunrise_

_Well, there's so much they hold_

_And just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul?_

_Well, I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_And when you're needing your space_

_To do some navigating_

_I'll be here patiently waiting_

_To see what you find_

_'Cause even the stars they burn_

_Some even fall to the earth_

_We've got a lot to learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_No, I won't give up_

_I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily_

_I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make_

_Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use_

_The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake_

_And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend_

_For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn_

_We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in_

_I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not_

_And who I am_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up, I'm still looking up_

_Well, I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)_

_God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)_

_We got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)_

_God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

It was a gorgeous cover of the song, but it was obviously about to be compared with Ella's judge's house song, as she sang the exact same song. Ella had definitely sang better but luckily, she wasn't the one that Lucy was competing against in the sing off - Rylan was. And it was definitely going to be a close call.

"Wow, great sing off guys. Give it up once again for Rylan and Lucy! So, they have done everything they can but only one of them can return to sing again next week. One of them will be going home. That decision, as always, is in the hands of our four very capable judges. I'll ask each of them who they want to send home tonight. In the event of a tie, we go to a deadlock. Judges, it's time to judge and I need a decision. Nicole, coming to you first. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Lucy, you did a really beautiful 'save me' song. I really felt that you sang your heart out and I really love your voice. But I have to stick with my boy. He not only brings light, energy and fun to the show, after that performance, Rylan, you also bring heart. So the act I'm sending home is Lucy."

"Gary, coming to you next, the name of the act you're sending home."

"OK, this is very, very simple. I'm sure everyone at home agrees. The sing off was completely won by Lucy tonight. Rylan, I've enjoyed your 'funniness' that you've brought to the competition, but when you're put next to a real singer, it's just capuut. I'll say what I've said numerous times before: this is the X Factor, not America's Got Talent. So the act I'm sending home is Rylan."

"Thank you Gary. 1 apiece. Tulisa, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Wow, um… this is a hard decision for me because it is such an easy one. Rylan, I love you so much, I love your performances, I love your energy, but it's my girl who's standing there next to you, so I have to stick by her. I've mentored her in this competition and I've seen the potential that she has, and I can't afford to lose that. So the act I'm sending home is Rylan."

"OK, Louis, here's the deal. If you opt to send Rylan home, he goes home. If you opt to send Lucy home, we go to a deadlock. The name of the act you're sending home please."

"OK, um… this is such a difficult decision. It was an amazing sing off and Rylan, you proved to us that you really can sing just then. You're not just an entertainer; you've got a good voice too. Lucy, I loved your performance, but I can't help but notice the similarities between your performance just then, and the song that Ella sang during the early stages of the competition. I know it's a popular song and all that, but it's hard not to think about that. Lucy, I think you're a great singer, but I think that even if Rylan is slightly inferior in that area, he makes up for it in style, entertainment and energy. So I'm going to do the right thing - I'm going to take it to deadlock. The act I'm sending home is Lucy."

In the greenroom, the contestants were all on their feet, watching the show in fear, but fascination. They honestly had no idea who was going through.

"So, two votes each which means it is a deadlock. The judges have failed to reach a majority verdict, which means that they have lost their power. We now revert to the earlier vote. The act with the fewest votes goes home."

Dermott opened the red envelope in his hand, and read the name of the act inside.

"Rylan and Lucy, this is it. The act who received the fewest votes from the public and will be leaving the competition tonight is… Lucy! Rylan, congratulations, mate. Please go join the others backstage."


	101. Chapter 101

With Lucy gone, there were just 7 acts left in the competition, so things were getting fierce. Union J. District 3. Christopher Maloney. Rylan Clark. Jahmene Douglas. Finn Hudson. Ella Henderson. Four of those names would be eliminated in the next 5 weeks. Three of those names would be in the grand final weekend. One of them would be crowned winner of the X Factor and be given a 1 million dollar record deal. There was a long way to go, but at this point, Finn Hudson and Ella Henderson had become household names as the up and coming pop artists of the year so were favourite to make the finals. Although Jahmene was the other favourite to win the competition, he wasn't a pop artist - he was more like a gospel/soul singer.

On Monday morning, Finn was awake extremely early as he wanted to start Week 6 preparation as soon as possible. He was in the studio, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at 8 am that morning and to his surprise, Nicole was already there.

"Morning." Finn said as he sat down on that oh so familiar sofa. Nicole smiled at him.

"Hey, you're early." She said, surprised. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I kinda want to start preparing for next week as early as possible. There's not many people left in the competition so I may well be in the bottom two at some point. I don't want... no, I can't be eliminated. I need to win this competition to solidify a record deal. If that means waking up a bit earlier then so be it."

"Well, I'm all for the new attitude, but the last thing you want to do is strain your vocal cords right before Saturday." She replied.

"So what have we got? What's the theme for next week?" Finn asked. Nicole smiled widely.

"Well, I think this week's theme is right up your alley. It's 'Best of British.' Everyone has to sing a song by a British artist or group and then on Sunday, Ed Sheeran, One D and Little Mix are performing."

"Wow, that's… pretty easy actually." Finn remarked.

"Exactly, which is why quality is going to be incredible this week."

"True. So do you have any suggestions?" Finn asked. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, actually I have a great song for you, but you have every right to say no to it. It's a pretty big risk because the artist who originally sings it is an icon."

"Um… okay? What is it?" Finn asked, curiously, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat.

"Again, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. It's a big ask…"

"Nicole, just tell me!" Finn laughed.

"It's Hometown Glory." Nicole revealed. Finn's mouth dropped.

"Um…. Nicole, don't me wrong, I love that song. But Adele? Is that really a good idea? If I make one slip-up, the judges and audience will eat me alive."

"Trust me, at this point, Finn, you could sing the alphabet and still make it sound magical. Whatever you touch turns to gold and I have no doubt that you're going to kill this song as well. But at the end of the day, if you're not comfortable with the song, this is not the time of the competition to push you to sing something you're uncomfortable with."

Finn sighed and smiled. Nicole always knew exactly what to say to boost his confidence. She knew just as well as he did that he was going to accept the challenge and take on the huge Adele hit. Finn grew up listening to people like the Stereophonics, the Rolling Stones, and this week, he couldn't believe that he was going to be taking on an Adele song! She was without a doubt one of the best singers ever to come out of the UK and it was a daunting prospect to be taking on one of her songs.

What's more was that Hometown Glory triggers a lot of imagery for Finn and a lot of memories of growing up back in Canada, and then moving to Lima when he was a teenager. It makes him think about his friends from back home. Finn was particularly close with Santana and George. He obviously missed them a lot. He loved them to bits.

Finn nodded at Nicole.

"All right, I'll do it. But on one condition! We do it my style, because I have a pretty good unique cover idea for the song."

Nicole beamed at him.

"Deal." She replied, hugging him.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next day, work really started for Finn. He already had an idea of what he wanted to do - he wanted to do a unique, modern cover of the song, complete with dubsteps. He wanted the originally sad song with melancholic lyrics to transform into something you'd hear at a rager. However, creating a dubstep cover took longer than he thought. He literally spent almost 6 hours sitting in the recording and production studio, saying 'whoomp, whoomp, whoomp' into the mic so that the producers could do their magic and transform it into dubstep. Finn was happy though. He was a big part in the production of the song and he was anxiously excited about the upcoming performance. Finally, they had finished creating the backing track just as Finn felt like he was about to lose his mind from the monotonous 'whoomps' he was saying into the mics. They had decided that Finn would keep a guitar with him on stage and the first verse and chorus would be acoustic, before the dubstep gradually started and reached its peak by the final chorus. After Finn finished his first trial of the song, Nicole cheered. She wasn't there at all during the production part of the process - she was busy helping Jahmene and Rylan as well - and she couldn't believe how incredible Finn's cover sounded.

"Finn, when I first met you, you took people's songs and you made them your own and you jammed them out. You changed lyrics. You flipped the songs completely. That's all I want you to still focus on and do. This is a big challenge for you but if there's anyone who can do it, it's you."

Finn nodded. He had planned to work hard all day every day on the song, but something he learnt on the show was that not all plans come to fruition. That evening, Finn was packing up his guitar and chatting with Nicole when someone knocked on the door. They turned around. It was a businessman, dressed in a full suit and tie. He clearly meant business. However, interestingly, he did have a small, silver 007 pin on his lapel. The man smiled at them.

"Ms. Scherzinger, Mr. Hudson. How do you do?" He asked, holding a hand for them to shake. Finn and Nicole both shook it.

"We're good. Can I help you with something?" Nicole asked politely.

"Sorry ma'am, you can't. He can." The man said, pointing at Finn.

"Me? What did I do? I swear I thought I had paid for the chocolate bar! I didn't mean to steal it!" Finn exclaimed, stupidly. The man laughed.

"Why? No, I'm not a cop. I'm a producer for a small film being made. You might have heard of it. It's called Skyfall. It's the third movie from the James Bond series."

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I might have heard it in passing. It's only one of the most anticipated new releases of the year. How can _I_ help you with that?" Finn asked.

"Well, we needed a theme song for the movie, so we wrote a theme song. However, we couldn't figure out who we wanted to sing it. We recorded Adele singing it. but her voice wasn't powerful enough. We realised that we needed a man with a very strong, deep voice." The man said, looking at Finn, insinuatingly. Finn raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute." Finn said, holding up a hand. "You fired Adele, and you want me over her?" Finn asked, disbelievingly. Nicole was just as shocked as Finn. Although Finn reeked of talent, he didn't have nearly as much experience as the great Adele did. The man nodded.

"Yeah, we want you."

Finn thought for a moment.

"Sorry but I politely decline." Finn said. Nicole and the man's mouths dropped.

"I'm sorry, what?" The man said, disbelievingly.

"Yeah, WHAT?" Nicole shouted. Finn laughed.

"I'm sorry, I'd love to. Trust me I would. But I've got a lot on my plate and the last thing I need is added stress. In case you've forgotten, Nicole, I had a heart attack just 3 weeks ago. That's not very long at all, and the last thing I need is more responsibilities!"

"But Finn, Skyfall?" Nicole stammered.

"I'm sorry." Finn repeated, shaking his head.

"Please, Mr. Hudson! It'll only take half a day. One day max. We already have the song written and everything. It'll just be like singing karaoke."

"Sorry." Finn said once again, walking to the exit of the room.

"We'd pay you. A LOT. We offered Adele $2.5 million, and we'll pay you one and a half times that amount. And that's not including any of the royalties you'll earn when we release the song as a single the month before the premiere."

Finn slowly turned around to face the man, and he walked towards him.

"I'm listening."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

By the end of Wednesday night, Finn had received the CD of his debut single - Skyfall. Because he technically wasn't given a record deal, he was able to accept the huge cash pay (almost 4 million dollars) without having his amateur status negated and being kicked out of the X Factor.

Nicole couldn't have been happier for Finn. He was literally living his dream. Earning 4 million bucks for a song that hadn't even been released yet was something that she would have killed for at the beginning of her music career. However, Finn was infinitely better than she was at the beginning of her star-studded career so he definitely deserved it.

Now, with the small detour out of the way, Finn had just three more days to focus on his performance (Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning). Finn worked hard all day every day to make every song he was given his own. He had never worked so hard in his life. The remaining contestants would not ever see Finn without his guitar in his hand and him practising the song, whether he was in his room, in the studio, on the staircase of the hotel, in the studio's cafeteria, in the hotel lawn. Everywhere! Finn didn't come on the show to become just another competitor. He wanted to win the competition so it meant everything to him.

Throughout the five weeks of live shows, Nicole had noticed something. Although Finn was the nicest, funniest contestant who was literally friends with everyone on the show (judges, fellow contestants, producers, vocal coaches, dance coaches, etc.), Finn was still lonely. He was the only contestant who didn't have family in New York with them. The other contestants were able to see their families after long, hard days in the studio to help cheer them up and raise their morale and spirits. Finn had none of that. He had no family. Nicole knew that she needed to do something to help raise Finn's spirits before the live show on Saturday. After all, he was singing about his Hometown, so that gave Nicole an idea…


	102. Chapter 102

"Wow, this place is amazing!" Santana exclaimed, as Nicole led her into the X Factor studio, where Finn was doing a sound check for his performance the next day. Because Finn was singing about home and his hometown and where he was from, Nicole wanted to surprise him by bringing his best friend from home in. Nicole had called Santana that morning, sending her a plane ticket to Manhattan so that she would be able to see Finn. She had arrived during the early afternoon, and she was staying all weekend to watch the show. Now that she was relatively high up in her career, she was able to be a bit more flexible with her off days. But even so, she wouldn't have missed the chance to see Finn for the world.

Santana heard Finn before she saw him. She was waiting backstage as Finn ran through his number one final time. She was amazed at how far he had come vocally. His voice was almost unrecognisable from the young boy who sang in the Glee club ten years ago. At the end of Finn's song, Nicole, who was sitting by the judge's table, walked over to him.

"That was amazing, Finn. You've got Saturday covered for sure!" she exclaimed. Finn smiled.

"Yeah, and I've even practised my 'save me' song just in case. I feel like I could stand a chance even if I'm in the bottom two, unless I'm against Jahmene or Ella. If I'm against them, I might as well just pack up and leave now."

Nicole laughed.

"Don't say that! Think about it, if you are against Jahmene, I won't vote for either of you, Tulisa absolutely loves you, and Gary loves you even more. That's enough votes to get you through. And if you're against Ella, you'll obviously have my vote, you'll probably have Gary's vote…"

"Yeah, but I won't have Tulisa's vote, so it'll come down to Louis. My fate will be in the hands of the guy who's already been indecisive once this series. I can't afford for him to do the same thing again."

"Look, don't worry about that now. Just worry about Saturday's performance. Actually, don't worry about either. I actually have a surprise for you." She said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Please don't tell me I have to record or perform in concert tonight. I don't care how much they offer me, I won't do it!"

Nicole laughed.

"Yeah, I don't blame you, but that's not your surprise. So, you're singing about your home and stuff right?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I decided to give you a little bit extra incentive and motivation to perform well tomorrow by bringing your sister in?"

"My sister?" Finn asked, confused. "Nicole, I don't have…"

"Finn, turn around." Nicole said, simply. Perplexed, Finn turned around and when he saw who was waiting backstage, his mouth dropped.

"Oh my god, Santana!" Finn exclaimed, excitedly. Santana sprinted towards him and practically tackled him in a hug. A tear rolled down Nicole's cheek as she saw the pure happiness on Finn's normally stoic face. It was nice to see the soft side of Finn Hudson. He was normally a pretty soft-spoken, calm guy who didn't really show much emotion - the typical Special Forces soldier. But now, standing next to his best friend, Finn's face actually showed cheerfulness.

"What are you doing here?" Finn asked, ecstatic but confused at the same time.

"Nicole flew me in."

Finn then turned to Nicole.

"Thank you so much." Finn said to Nicole. Nicole gave him a hug.

"No problem at all. Just remember what you're singing about, dude."

Finn nodded.

"So, do you miss him?" Nicole asked. Santana nodded and wiped a tear from her own eye. Santana rarely ever cried, but seeing Finn so… self happy after everything he'd been through was enough to set her off. Her best friend had been across the lake of Cocytus (the Greek river in Hell) but he had come out alive, and was finally fulfilling his true passion.

"Yeah, he's my best friend." Santana murmured as she hugged him so tight that Finn thought that he was going to black out from lack of airflow.

"Well you can have him for today. Finn, take the rest of the day off, okay? Between recording the single on Wednesday and working on this song the other days, you need a break. This is a marathon, dude. Don't blow all of your stamina at the halfway point."

Finn nodded.

"Thanks, Nicole." Finn replied, radiating with joy, and he led Santana away from the stage. As they walked through the arena, they caught up on everything they'd missed in each other's lives. Santana was now pretty high up in the company she worked in - an amazing achievement for someone so young. Finn had also quickly recounted his journey on the X Factor. He didn't need to say too much about it because a lot of it was nationally televised.

"So how are you and Brittany?" Finn asked. Santana shrugged.

"Good, I guess."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Finn asked. He could tell Santana was holding something back.

"I… um… I." Santana stammered. Finn put an arm around her.

"Santana. It's just me. Talk." Finn said.

"It's just, recently, I've been noticing something about Brittany that everyone's kinda noticed but I ignored. She seems to be kinda… carefree and gullible."

"You mean dumb?" Finn asked.

"Dude, that's my girlfriend!" Santana exclaimed, unconvincingly. Finn raised an eyebrow, laughing.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"OK, fine. She can be kind of dumb sometimes. And it's just starting to get to me. You know, we were going to get a dog together a year ago. Instead of going to a dog shelter, while I was at work, she went to the park and grabbed a stray possum and told me that she found us a dog. Obviously, I released the possum back into the park, but she literally cried for days after."

Finn snorted in laughter.

"It's not that funny!" Santana said, exasperatedly. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Look, it really depends on what you look for in a relationship. If you want some of equal or higher level of intelligence, get out of there and get out of there quick! No help in the world can tear Brittany from the fantasy world she lives in. But, I also know that nobody in this world loves you more than that girl does. And look at the possum story: Britt was willing to bring home a stray creature from the streets and give it a home. That takes some serious heart."

Santana nodded and smiled.

"Thanks, Finn. God I missed our talks. You were like my yoda back in high school."

"Oh yeah, the old days!" Finn laughed. "Then we both grew up. Thank god for that."

"Yeah, I became a sales agent, and you joined the fucking army, for a country you're not even from!"

"What do you mean? I'm American." Finn said.

"Nah, you're too nice to be an american. You're soooo canadian."

"Well, that's just what someone who practically gave his life to the U.S Army wants to hear!" Finn joked.

"Haha. No, I meant that your personality is canadian, but your hometown is Lima, whether you like it or not. Speaking of Lima, everyone in McKinley, nay everyone in the city is rooting for you. We all love you."

"Thanks, San. And even if I get eliminated this week, I already have enough money for practically the rest of my life."

"Huh? Did One Direction seriously pay you that much?" Santana asked, confused. Finn smiled with pride.

"Well, I actually recorded my first single. I was hired to sing the theme in the new Skyfall James Bond movie and they paid me a pretty big chunk of change for it.

"How much?" Santana asked.

"Well put it this way…" Finn said. "They paid by a certain amount, but chances are, when the song is officially released for streaming and buying, the money I'll receive will be almost 400% more."

"So how much do you have now?" Santana asked. Finn blushed. He hated talking about money, usually because he didn't have any. It felt so weird to finally not be short for cash.

"Well, for just recording the song with them, and to be able to use my name in the credits and advertisements for the movie, they paid me 4 mill."

"4 MILLION?" Santana shouted. Finn glared at her.

"Dude, shut up." Finn grumbled and Santana blushed.

"Sorry, but 4 mill!" Santana whispered. "That's so much!"

Finn laughed.

"You're telling me? Yeah, and if the single does well, I may well get paid up to like 40 million in royalties."

Santana smiled widely and hugged him.

"Jesus Christ, Finn. You really are a pop star now, huh?"

Finn shrugged.

"I guess. And you know what? Get this! They actually originally offered the job to Adele, but they fired her and chose me over her. And they were willing to pay me 50% more than what they were going to pay here."

"No way!" Santana exclaimed.

"I'm not lying. I swear!" Finn exclaimed. The two of them went to the cafe in the lobby of Finn's hotel - he couldn't really go out in public anymore without being mobbed by fans. As they sat and chatted in the cafe, Finn watched as the other contestants started to traipse into the hotel. Finn briefly said hi to Rylan and Ella, and he introduced them to Santana. Right before Santana left, she turned to Finn.

"OK, look, I know how much we hate awkward questions, but I've gotta ask… have you tried to, you know… since?"

Finn sighed and shook his head.

"No, the last time I put a gun to my head was the day before I auditioned for the X Factor. I was in a really bad place, but I'm genuinely a lot before now."

Santana nodded, and then frowned when she realised something.

"Wait… the night before you auditioned for the X Factor? That would've been after George and I left, so you did try again?"

Santana started hyperventilating, and Finn had to spend a full minute trying to calm her down.

"Santana, calm down, okay? I passed out before I even turned the safety off on the gun. But I swear, I would never consider doing something like that now. I have too much to lose."

Santana slowly nodded.

"You'd better not!" She spat, and Finn laughed. Santana then checked her watch and realised that it was already almost 10 pm.

"OK, I've gotta go now. I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be the girl screaming in the audience."

Finn laughed.

"Which one? There are thousands of them!" Finn remarked.

"Oh, no. Trust me, you'll know it's me." She stated. "Oh, and one more thing. You haven't heard from Bella recently, have you?"

Finn sighed and shook his head.

"Nope. Not for more than two years."

"Can I ask you something, and you have to answer honestly?" Santana said. Finn nodded.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Do you regret breaking up with her and ghosting all of us?" Santana asked, looking her friend straight in the eye. Finn sighed and shook his head. It was the question that had kept him up almost every night in two years.

"No, no I don't. Don't get me wrong, I love Bella and you and George and all of the Glee club so much. But you have no idea how messed up my head was when I first was reintroduced to civilisation. You know that I had a gun, and that I pointed it at my skull multiple times. What's to stop me from during a bad, drunken night, pointing the gun at you guys. I could never forgive myself for something like that. At least now, the last actual memories Bella will have of me will be the good times we spent together."

"Actually, I think her last memories of you will be you dumping her ass via group text. Real classy, dude." Santana remarked. Finn looked down in shame. "And…" She continued. "In case you've forgotten, you're on fucking national TV. She's bound to see you in those clips, happy and healthy, but not trying to call her."

Finn shrugged.

"Still, I don't regret it. It was for her own good."

"Look, I'm not going to sit here and criticise your decisions. I'm in your corner no matter what."

"Thanks, San. And make sure to vote for me tomorrow!" Finn said as Santana put on her coat.

"Oh no, I was planning on voting for Ella." She remarked, sarcastically. Finn glared at her and she laughed. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "Chill out, Finn. Of course I'm voting for you. Good luck tomorrow." She said, turning to leave.

"Bye, Santana." He waved at her as she left the cafe. Finn smiled to himself. Nicole was truly the best mentor ever. She flew in his best friend at the perfect time in the competition. She didn't only care about his performance quality: she also genuinely cared about his well-being. Finn now needed to show Nicole that she was right to have her faith in him. He was Finn Hudson, damn it! Ex-Army, ex-bar singer and future winner of the X Factor!"


	103. Chapter 103

The next morning, Finn woke up pretty late and went down to the gym for a quick work out. Then came brunch, before Finn and the other finalists were taken to the hair studio to get their hair done for the competition. They then put on their costumes for the competition. It was at this point that Finn absolutely LOVED being a guy. He didn't have to worry about make up like the girls did, and what he wore was not a big deal like it was for the girl. Well, the girls and Rylan. Finn just put on a simple short sleeve collared shirt and jeans.

Then, the contestants were driven to the arena, where they began the excruciatingly long wait in the greenroom. They could only watch through the TV as the audience started to file in, and an hour later, they were finally ready to start the show.

"Welcome to the 6th X Factor Live Show! Your Saturday night starts right here!" Dermott exclaimed. "Yes, we are live on ITV1 where 7 remaining acts will be crossing the Atlantic with their song choices as the theme is Best of British! They are singing songs by some of Britain's finest pop stars. Now, it's time to meet our fearsome quartet of quality. Made up of two British bulldogs, a pedigree American and a lovable old Irishman. It's the X Factor judges!"

As the judges walked on stage, Finn looked around the green room and then realised something. He turned to Ella, who was sitting next to him.

"Hey Ella, are you the only girl left in the competition? Like not just in your category, but also in the groups and overs."

Ella raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, duh? Where have you been?" She laughed. Finn shrugged and laughed.

"I'm sorry. I've been pretty preoccupied with some other stuff. Namely, recording a single and earning 4 million dollars for it."

"Oh yeah! I forgot! You're excused." Ella laughed. Finn rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the screen.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let's go say hi to our X Factor judges." Dermott said, walking over to the judges' table. "All of you are looking great tonight! Nicole, coming to you first. 3 boys left in the competition. How are you going to bring out the best of your performers?"

"Well my boys have been preparing long and hard and you know what, they're going to be coming out swinging."

"OK, um… Gary. You have one act left in Christopher. He got through last week but got a lot of boos as well. But it just doesn't seem to affect him. He hasn't been in the bottom two yet."

"What is you and the other judges' obsession with bashing Christopher? This place is full of friends and family who are cheering on their own contestants so they would be anyone who wasn't their favourite. Rylan got booed when he won the showdown but you're not going to mention that, huh?"

"I'm just stating the facts, Gary. Ok, Tulisa. One girl left in the competition. She's not been in the bottom two yet, but are you feeling vulnerable at all."

"Um… do you know what? Sure I have one girl left, but what an amazing girl I've got! At the end of the day, you only need one to win the competition, and Ella definitely has the backing and the potential to do so."

"OK, and Louis. Two boy bands left. Is there any rivalry between them?"

"Friendly rivalry." Louis replied. "Both are working really hard and there's room for two bands in the competition. I'd like two boy bands in the final."

"I bet you would. Ladies and Gentlemen, the X Factor judges!" Dermott exclaimed. "All right, I can sense that you are all itching to support your acts, and inch no longer because lines are now OPEN! Vote for your favourite act to guarantee them in next week's show. Anyways, let's get this party started. First up is Gary's last remaining Over 28, it's Christopher Maloney."

Christopher Maloney had had a tough week to say the least. Because Finn was now out of the line of fire from the press, the public had decided to direct their crosshairs at someone else: Christopher. But to be fair, unlike Finn's articles, the articles that were written about Christopher were actually true. The eliminated over 28s - Kye Sones and Melanie Masson - had exposed him voting for himself after shows. Apparently, Christopher had spent a fortune on phone bills since the live shows started as he submitted numerous votes for himself to avoid the axe of the competition. Nobody yet knew how many votes he had actually bought every week, but it was enough to knock out top-class acts such as Lucy, Kye, Jade, Melanie and MK1. His performance was an attempt to hit back at the haters in the press (he sang I'm Still Standing by Elton John), but it only supported the fact that he didn't deserve his spot in the competition. He was criticised harshly by the three judges that weren't his mentor. But everyone knew that he wouldn't be in the bottom two. He had lost respect from the whole show, but they couldn't technically outlaw that kind of behaviour. It just left a very sour taste in the competitors' mouths as it goes against the spirit of the show. What's more is that Christopher didn't even try to make friends with the other competitors so none of them had his back. All of the competitors had gotten really close, and then they've got Chris. They're been a really strong group and he's been an outsider. And it had nothing to do with any of the competitors. It was because of how tactical and calculating Christopher was. He was two faced - one when cameras were there and one when they're not. He was a bit of a diva and frankly a bit of a dick when the cameras weren't rolling.

However, Christopher's bad performance was completely forgotten about when Jahmene came on next and wowed the judges with his cover of Angels by Robbie Williams. Although last week Jahmene received the most praise from the judges of all of the competitors, he actually felt that it went quite bad. The only person who had a hard time believing in him was himself. Self-believe and self-confidence was a huge hurdle and Finn knew only too well how hard it was to cross it. But unlike Christopher, everybody loved Jahmene as a person, and he was friends with everyone, so that definitely helped him believe in himself more. During rehearsals and sound checks, he was always asking questions like 'Am I in key?' or 'Did that sound okay?' or 'That wasn't very good,' to the extent that the other competitors who were in the audience had to tell him, jokingly, to just shut up and sing. He did that though, and did a damn good job at it.

District3 was third. During the last two weeks, the judges' comments weren't too great. They were very confused as at the beginning, they were told to give more to the competition, but during the past two weeks, they were giving too much and being a bit cheesy for the judges' liking. Gary had even said that he 'didn't know who they were anymore' as the band now were unrecognisable from the vocal harmony band that showed up to the first audition, in a bad way. This made the group want to go back to their roots. They decided on Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton, a soft ballad that showed off their dreamy vocals. Knowing that they were more than halfway through the competition just made them even more hungry for it. The performance was infinitely better than last week. They finally clicked again in terms of vocals and harmony, and the judges and audience loved it.

The next performance was an absolute earthquake of a performance - Ella sang a gorgeous acoustic guitar cover of Written in the Stars by Tinie Tempah. There was tremendous pressure on Ella now - being the last remaining girl in the competition, and the last of Tulisa's mentees, it was a lot of stress on her shoulders. But she shook it all off and performed a killer performance. It was a unique cover, and it sounded like something Adele would sing.

Rylan's performance was next, and it was honestly one of his best performances yet. He had bounced back superbly from his surprise win over Lucy last week in the bottom two and came out fighting in Week 6. As always, he sang a mashup and it involved a lot of dancing and choreography - it was a Spice Girls medley of Say You'll Be There and Wannabe. Watching Rylan in rehearsal and sound checks was always refreshing for Jahmene and Finn, as they were able to sit, watch and pretend to be cool while watching Rylan sing girly songs and incorporate girly dance routines to them.

Union J were the penultimate act. They had gradually improved every week since the beginning of the live shows, and last week's performance was absolutely amazing. They wanted to switch things up a bit this week - rather than singing a fast, upbeat song, they wanted to strip it back a bit to show off their amazing vocals. Between Union J and District3, Union J were 100% the more likely group to get a record deal as they sang the kind of pop music that the audience could relate to. This week, Union J dedicated their performance to the 'Best of British': the men and women who had served or were serving in the Armed Forces, not just of Britain and the States, but all over the world. They sang Fix You by Coldplay, and it was incredible. The judges did bring up a worrying comment though - because the standard of the competition was so high now and there weren't many acts left in the contest, the two boy bands, being similar in nature, might split the vote and leave them with less votes than they deserved or thought they should get, possibly putting them in the bottom two.

There was only one act left to perform that night - Finn. He'd been having the worst luck in the world when it came to drawing straws for performance order, and was last on the programme so many times so far. He did let it affect him anymore though. He ignored all other performances and just focussed on himself. Grabbing his acoustic guitar, Finn walked backstage, where he gave his guitar a quick last-minute tune before waiting to be announced by Dermott.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, third and last of the boys. He's a wickedly talented bloke. This is Finn Hudson!"

_oh, oh, oh, oh, oh yeah_

_I've been walkin in the same way, as i did_

_Missing out the cracks in the pavement_

_and tuttin my heel and strutting my feet_

_Is there anything I can do for you dear?_

_Is there anyone I could call?_

_No, and thank you please madame_

_I ain't lost just wandering_

_Round my hometown_

_memories are fresh_

_from my hometown_

_ooo the people I've met_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of this world_

_Are the wonders no_

Up until this point, the first verse and chorus was completely acoustic. But, alongside Finn's acoustic guitar playing was where the beat started to rise slowly.

_yeah!_

_Like it in the city_

_when the air is so thick and opaque_

_I like to see everybody in short skirts shorts and shades_

_oh i like it in the city when two worlds collide_

_you got the people and the government_

_everybody's taking different sides_

This is where the beat dropped and the audience went crazy.

_Round my home town_

_memories are fresh_

_from my home town_

_ooo the people I've met_

_And are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

**For the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=BGi_wrQ05Rk**

**Or search… 'James Arthur Hometown Glory'**

This was, without a doubt, Finn's best performance of the series, and the audience's reaction attested to that. He received loud screams and cheers as he waited patiently for the judges' feedback.

"Finn! It's great to have somebody like you on the X Factor because you bring great musicality to the show. You bring such professionalism to every performance, and I think you're a great interpreter of every song. I know all of the audience love you. You haven't been in the bottom 2 yet, and I hope it stays that way." Louis said.

Tulisa was next. "Finn, guitar in hand, putting your own special spin on things, I don't know if you've seen any of my festival sets but I LOVE a bit of dubstep. I remember watching this show two years ago, before I became a judge, and wishing and hoping that the show embraced an act like you. An act so talented and incredible, with that urban edge. But you know, now the time is right and here you are! I'm so happy to be on the panel while you're here."

"Finn, Adele is such an amazing, brilliant artist and nobody should ever cover her songs… except for you. That was just brilliant. And it's very interesting… we're halfway through the competition and most of the acts who are here are a work in progress, except for you. You're ready right now to record. You're ready to step on stage right now and perform for a sold-out concert. Your talent is absolutely incredible. Well done. Nicole, over to you."

"Like Gary said, you took the legendary Adele and you swagged it, and you freaked it with the dubstep. You are the future of music and are why we are here, my boy. You take real singer-songwriters, real melodies, real passion, and you combine them with a fat beat. You, my friend, are going to real soon by the Best of America, and soon after, the Best in the World. I'm sure of that."

Dermott came on to have a quick chat with Finn.

"Finn! You just nailed an Adele hit. How does that make you feel?"

"That makes me feel amazing. I'm glad it went down well because I don't know if the X Factor's ever had dubstep before."

"Also, it's a huge risk to sing such a huge song, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I mean when Nicole suggested this song, I was like 'hell no' because I knew that the minute I mess up even the tiniest thing, I'll be eaten alive. But then on the other hand, I'll also be dragged down if I make my version too much like the original. So I told Nicole there's no way I'm touching an Adele song UNLESS I can do what I just did with it. Thank god I have such an amazing mentor. Nicole, thank you much for supporting me and sticking by me and everything."

"That's great. And really briefly, I know that you might not have any biological family, but you do have some very close friends, and one of them I think is here tonight, right?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, Nicole surprised me with that. She flew in my best friend on Friday while I was doing my sound check. It was great timing, you know, given that I was singing about 'hometown memories.'"

"OK, thank you very much, Finn. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Finn Hudson!"


	104. Chapter 104

That night, Finn slept pretty well, relatively certain that he wouldn't be one of the names cut. However, he made sure to practise his 'save me' song a couple of times just in case. There were only good acts left in the competition so anything could happen. The next morning flew by, and soon, they were all back in the greenroom. Because quite a few of the acts had been eliminated already, there was a lot more space in the small greenroom, so they each sprawled over a sofa or armchair as they watched the TV.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the X Factor results show! Tonight, your votes will take two acts into the bottom two, only one of them will proceed to next week's show. But before all of that, we've got a couple of guests. The first guests tonight are a little group that were formed on the show and we actually saw during week 1. One Direction back here tonight!"

The crowd, particularly the ladies, scream loudly in anticipation.

"But that's not all." Dermott said. "We've also a group who last time they were on the show, were crowned champions. Now they are back to perform their new single. Little Mix is here!"

The scream was a little bit quieter than the one for One D, but it was still really loud.

"And finally, a HUGE British success story. With his debut performance on the X Factor, Ed Sheeran!"

The scream was louder now.

"But first, introducing four musical musketeers whose motto is probably one for one and none for all… Otherwise known as… the X Factor Judges!"

The four judges walked out on stage together. There had been a lot of negative criticism from the judges yesterday so the tension between them was high. To make it even worse, Gary and Tulisa both only had one act left in the competition, so the two of them were on the edge of their seats. Even Nicole and Louis, who had multiple acts left so wouldn't be out this week were scared because they obviously didn't want to lose a single act.

"The audience is heavy tonight! And if you're watching at home, you can insure the survival of your favourite acts by voting for them. Right now, 7 acts remain, and they might be rivals but for the next few minutes, they're going to put their rivalry aside and sing together. Singing live… it's the X Factor finalists!"

**Finn:**

_The heart is a bloom_

_Shoots up through the stony ground_

_There's no room_

_No space to rent in this town_

**Rylan:**

_You're out of luck_

_And the reason that you had to care_

**Christopher:**

_The traffic is stuck_

_And you're not moving anywhere_

**All:**

_It's a beautiful day_

_Sky falls, you feel like_

_It's a beautiful day_

_Don't let it get away_

**Ella:**

_You're on the road_

_But you've got no destination_

_You're in the mud_

_In the maze of her imagination_

**District3:**

_You love this town_

_Even if that doesn't ring true_

_You've been all over_

_And it's been all over you_

**All:**

_It's a beautiful day_

_Don't let it get away_

_It's a beautiful day_

**Union J:**

_Touch me_

_Take me to that other place_

_Teach me_

_I know I'm not a hopeless case_

**Finn:**

_See the world in green and blue_

**Union J:**

_See China right in front of you_

**Jahmene:**

_And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth_

_After the flood all the colors came out_

**All:**

_It's a beautiful day_

_Sky falls, you feel like_

_It's a beautiful day_

_Don't let it get away_

**District3:**

_What you don't have you don't need it now_

_What you don't know you can feel it somehow_

**Union J:**

_What you don't have you don't need it now_

_Don't need it now_

**All:**

_It's a beautiful day_

_Don't let it get away_

"Your X Factor finalists everybody!" Dermott shouted. "Only 7 acts remain so whoever goes is bound to be contentious tonight. Right, time for our first guest now. People said a group could never win the X Factor but last year, 4 girls proved them wrong. For the first performance of their new single, it's Perrie, it's Jesy, it's Leigh-Anne, it's Jade. Otherwise known as Little Mix!"

_Does he tell you he loves you when you least expect it?_

_Does he flutter your heart when he kisses your neck?_

_No scientist or biology_

_It's obvious when he's holding me_

_It's only natural that I'm so affected, oh, oh, oh_

_And my heart won't beat again_

_If I can't feel him in my veins_

_No need to question, I already know_

_It's in his DNA_

_D-D-D-DNA_

_It's in his DNA_

_And he just takes my breath away_

_B-b-b-breath away_

_I feel it every day,_

_And that's what makes a man_

_Not hard to understand_

_Perfect in every way_

_I see it in his face_

_Nothing more to say_

_It's in his D-D-D-DNA_

_It's the blue in his eyes that helps me see the future_

_Fingerprints that leave me covered for days, yeah, hey, yeah_

_Now I don't have any first degree_

_But I know, what he does to me_

_No need to work it out, it's so familiar, oh, oh, oh_

_And my heart won't beat again_

_If I can't feel him in my veins_

_No need to question, I already know_

_It's in his DNA_

_D-D-D-DNA_

_It's in his DNA_

_And he just takes my breath away_

_B-b-b-breath away_

_I feel it every day,_

_And that's what makes a man_

_Not hard to understand_

_Perfect in every way_

_I see it in his face_

_Nothing more to say_

_It's in his D-D-D-DNA_

_It's all about his kiss_

_Contaminates my lips_

_Our energy connects_

_It's simple genetics_

_I'm the X to his Y_

_It's the colour of his eyes_

_He can do no wrong_

_No, he don't need to try_

_Made from the best_

_He passes all the tests_

_Got my heart beating fast_

_It's cardiac arrest_

_He's from a different strain_

_That science can't explain_

_I guess that's how he's made_

_In his d-d-d-DNA_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_Oh whoa whoa whoa whoa_

_It's in his DNA_

_D-D-D-DNA_

_It's in his DNA_

_And he just takes my breath away_

_B-b-b-breath away_

_I feel it every day,_

_And that's what makes a man (what makes a man)_

_Not hard to understand (to understand)_

_Perfect in every way (in every way)_

_I see it in his face (in his face)_

_Nothing more to say (nothing more to say)_

_It's in his D-D-D-DNA_

"Little Mix everybody!" Dermott shouted as the girl group got a standing ovation. "Well, let's talk about that performance. I love the fact that you didn't go with a slow acoustic number: you went full out, didn't you?!"

They laughed.

"Well, congratulations. Two number 1 hits, and I know that the album is out very soon. What's the last year been like for you ladies? Any highlights?"

"It's just been the best year ever! We've had so much fun." Jade said.

"Wow, I can't believe that it's been exactly a year since you guys stood on this stage as competitors. Is it strange coming back on the show and performing as an artist rather than a contestant?"

"Oh my god, yeah! You know what? It's even more nerve wracking! I was literally trembling when I was up on stage." Perrie said.

"So you just got back from Australia, right?"

"Yes." They smiled.

"What was that like?" Dermott asked them.

"Incredible. We got to the airport and there were like hundreds of girl fans screaming our names. It was just amazing."

"Do you get any screaming boy fans?"

"Um… maybe the odd 1 or 2, but it's mainly girls which I find pretty surprising."

"Ok, let's talk about this year's competition. Does anyone still here tonight not deserve to be here?"

"Um… I don't know. All of the finalists are really good. It was kind of disappointing that all three groups have been in the bottom two, and one of them is out of the competition." Jesy said.

"Well who would you eliminate and who would you save, if you could?" Dermott persisted.

"I don't know. Thankfully, we were never in the bottom two but we know how awful and scary it must be."

"And finally, who are your favourites?"

"Well, I think everyone's amazing, but I've gotta say Finn Hudson. He's just insane."

The other girls nodded.

"You know, I think every celebrity who's performed here this year has backed Finn, and yet the odds are still longer on him than on Jahmene and Ella. Why do you think that is?"

"Well, we're not really the betting and analysing kind, so we don't know for sure." Jade said. "But I feel like Jahmene and Ella are more of your traditional X Factor competitors, whereas Finn is a bit different. He's a bit more like marmite - you love him or hate him - but unlike Rylan, you can't deny that Finn has an amazing voice."

"Well, what do you love about Finn?"

"Um… I just think he's a really raw talent. He hasn't been vocally trained nearly as much as the others so there's less technicality and more pure emotion in his singing." Perrie said.

"Yeah, and everytime he sings, he makes it his own. And he just… he gives you tingles, doesn't he? Oh, and he's so humble as well. It's like he's scared of receiving praise. He hasn't lost his modesty since becoming a star." Leigh-Anne added.

"Yeah, he's great. Well thank you so much, girls. Give it up for Little Mix! So, you have been voting on behalf of the 7 remaining acts for the past 24 hours and we thank you so much but lines are now CLOSED! Please don't call in now - it's too late for your vote to count. But right now, let's say hello to our judges! Gary, coming to you first. Best of British last night. You've met the Queen. Would she have appreciated Rylan's performance last night?"

"I think she would have enjoyed that." Gary laughed.

"But in all seriousness, who stole the show for you last night?"

"Um… probably Finn actually. He was excellent. Obviously I want Christopher to win because he's my mentee, but like Tulisa said earlier this year… if there was a space for one other contestant, he'd be my first pick."

"Well that brings me to Nicole. Nicole, you are the only judge with all three of your contestants left. And you seemed to be having a great time last night. Dancing on the table last night and all that. Are you happy with your boys? Are you feeling confident?"

"Yeah, I feel amazing! Look what they brought out last night! I'm just upset that I didn't roll around and do the splits up here."

"Well, there's always next week! And Tulisa, how are you feeling about Ella? Are you confident? Are you nervous?"

"I mean, I think she did amazingly. Like I said before, my only worry is people assuming she's safe and voting for others instead. I think if everyone who loved her picked up the phone and voted, she'd be safe."

"And Louis, who do you think is at risk? One name."

"I don't know. I can't call it." Louis said, and Dermott groaned and chuckled. "I just don't want either of my boy bands in the bottom two."

"Well we know you don't know. But out of your two bands, who do you think did better?"

"Both were good. I'm not going there!" Louis exclaimed.

"OK, time for our second guest now. A supremely talented British singer-songwriter who has just recently released his third studio album… Divide. Over 8 Million records sold, Grammy award winner for best song, Ed Sheeran!"

_When I was six years old I broke my leg_

_I was running from my brother and his friends_

_And tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down_

_I was younger then_

_Take me back to when_

_I found my heart and broke it here_

_Made friends and lost them through the years_

_And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long_

_I know I've grown_

_But I can't wait to go home_

_I'm on my way_

_Driving at 90 down those country lanes_

_Singing to "Tiny Dancer"_

_And I miss the way_

_You make me feel_

_And it's real_

_When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill_

_Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes_

_Running from the law through the backfields and getting drunk with my friends_

_Had my first kiss on a Friday night_

_I don't reckon that I did it right_

_I was younger then,_

_Take me back to when_

_We found weekend jobs, when we got paid_

_We'd buy cheap spirits and drink them straight_

_Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long_

_Oh, how we've grown_

_But I can't wait to go home_

_I'm on my way_

_Driving at 90 down those country lanes_

_Singing to "Tiny Dancer"_

_And I miss the way_

_You make me feel_

_And it's real_

_When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill_

_One friend left to sell clothes_

_One works down by the coast_

_One had two kids but lives alone_

_One's brother overdosed_

_One's already on his second wife_

_One's just barely getting by_

_But these people raised me_

_And I can't wait to go home_

_And I'm on my way_

_I still remember these old country lanes_

_When we did not know the answers_

_And I miss the way_

_You make me feel_

_And it's real_

_When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill_

_Over the castle on the hill_

Finn had always admired Ed Sheeran - the way he sang, the way he played guitar, and the way he was able to put on an incredible performance without a band and just his guitar and loop pedal. Today was no different. Ed Sheeran sang Castle on the Hall, the second single from his latest album. The first - Shape of You - was currently comfortably sitting at the top of the charts and it had been for the past 9 weeks.

"Ed Sheeran everyone! Thank you so much for coming on the X Factor. We really appreciate it. Um… second single off the album, right?"

"Yeah, I've always wanted to release this single and the album's coming to a close now so I thought I'd do it."

"Listen, congratulations on all of your success, mate. You're still on tour right now?"

"Yeah, until next September."

"Um… finally, I know you see the show. Who's your favourite? Who do you like?"

"Finn Hudson." Ed Sheeran said immediately. "I love that guy."

"You too? I swear, every celebrity guest we've had so far has backed Finn. If that kid doesn't make it to the finals then there's something seriously wrong with this competition."

Ed Sheeran laughed.

"Yeah, well you know, I'm actually quite scared of him from a business point of view."

"Really, why?" Dermott asked, confused.

"Well, let's face it: he's GOING to get a record deal after the competition. That's pretty certain at this point, and I feel that when he starts releasing music, a lot of my fans are going to switch to supporting him. In my opinion, Finn is basically a better version of me - we both sing the same styles, play the same instruments, our voices are both very raw, but the difference is that he has emotion in his voice that is second to none."

Dermott laughed.

"Well I know I, for one, would love to see a Finn Hudson vs. Ed Sheeran musical rivalry commence. One more time, Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Ed Sheeran!"

Ed Sheeran walked off stage to the applause of the whole audience.

"All right. We've been celebrating the best of British all weekend and our final performance tonight is one of the biggest and most british groups out there. They have conquered the world, in a nice way, and it all began for them right here. 13 Million record sold worldwide, 22 Number Ones worldwide, Over 41 Million Twitter followers. We are the proudest parents on the planet as we welcome back One Direction!"

**Zayn:**

_Your hand fits in mine like it's made just for me_

_But bear this in mind, it was meant to be_

_And I'm joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheeks_

_And it all makes sense to me..._

**Liam:**

_I know you've never loved the crinkles by your eyes when you smile_

_You've never loved your stomach or your thighs_

_The dimples in your back at the bottom of your spine_

_But I'll love them endlessly_

**Zayn and Liam:**

_I won't let these little things_

_Slip out of my mouth_

_But if I do_

_It's you_

_Oh it's you_

_They add up to_

_I'm in love with you_

_And all these little things_

**Louis:**

_You can't go to bed without a cup of tea_

_And maybe that's the reason that you talk in your sleep_

_And all those conversations are the secrets that I keep_

_Though it makes no sense to me_

**Harry:**

_I know you've never loved the sound of your voice on tape_

_You never want to know how much you weigh_

_You still have to squeeze into your jeans_

_But you're perfect to me_

**Harry & Niall:**

_I won't let these little things_

_Slip out of my mouth_

_But if it's true_

_It's you_

_It's you_

_They add up to_

_I'm in love with you_

_And all these little things_

**Niall:**

_You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you_

_And you'll never treat yourself right darlin' but I want you to_

_If I let you know I'm here for you_

_Maybe you'll love yourself like I love you, oh_

**Harry:**

_I've just let these little things_

_Slip out of my mouth_

_'Cause it's you_

_Oh it's you_

_It's you they add up to_

_And I'm in love with you_

_And all these little things_

**All:**

_I won't let these little things_

_Slip out of my mouth_

_But if it's true_

_It's you_

_It's you_

_They add up to_

_I'm in love with you_

_And all your little things_

"Ladies and Gentlemen. One Direction! Fellas, amazing performance tonight. We absolutely loved it. What was it like coming back?"

"It feels like when you've graduated from school and then you come back. And then you see all of the same faces and you get to say hi to all of them as like the 'big kids'." Liam said.

"Can you comprehend quite how successful you've become?"

"We didn't really expect to be anything outside of the UK. We expected to just do the UK. It just went crazy for us and now we're known here too and to think that people know our music here, it's crazy."

"Is it crazy that everywhere you go, everyone knows who you are?"

"Yeah, it's strange. There are some countries we haven't even been to and people know everything about us. That's like the strangest thing." Harry said.

"So where's the most random place you've been recognised?"

"Um… I think when we went surfing in Australia and that helicopter recognised us from the air. It was a Channel 9 News team flying across us and waving."

"So what have you guys got coming up in the next year?"

"Um… well right now, our album's just come out so we're touring all around the U.S. We've hit New York, Boston, L.A, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix. We still have Philadelphia, San Diego and Miami to go. Then we've got a short U.K thing and then back to work on the next album."

"Ok, let's talk about this year's X Factor. I don't think I need to ask who your favourite contestant is, given that you poached him for your concert in Boston the other week!"

They laughed.

"Yeah, Finn was awesome. We honestly thought he was going to back out the day before when we were rehearsing. We literally had to make him learn almost 20 songs!"

"Wow! Anyways, what was it like to perform with Finn in that concert?"

"It was incredible. He's a fantastic singer but more importantly, he's got an amazing personality. We loved having him with us and hopefully it's not the last time we collaborate." Louis said.

"And Zayn? What was it like having someone else filling in for you in that concert?"

Zayn laughed.

"Well, when we first started brainstorming a possible replacement, I think it was Niall who suggested Finn. When they decided to approach him, I honestly wasn't fussed. Like the boys said, I assumed that he would drop out. It's nothing against him as a singer or as a person. It's just we know first-hand how stressful this competition is, and adding an extra 20 songs to an already bursting memory was undeniably difficult. Then, I watched the concert from home, and I genuinely got so scared as I watched it. Finn was so much better than I ever was, and I was terrified that I was going to be kicked out of the band and he replaced me!"

They all laughed.

"Aww, Zayn. We couldn't do that to… Finn." Niall joked. "Finn is definitely going places as a solo artist, and I feel like no matter how successful a group is, he will always shine through them. At least with us, we were already a group to begin with and he was just filling in. But if he makes a band himself, him being so much better than everyone will definitely cause jealousy and rifts between the group. Just stick to soloing, Finn!" Niall said, and everyone laughed.

"OK, one more thing. Rylan. Are you a fan? We know Gary isn't."

"Yeah, we love Rylan!" They all exclaimed. "The show needs someone like that, and you definitely can't watch his performances without a smile on your face. And he's a really nice guy." Louis replied.

"If you could pick one of the contestants to support you on tour, who would you pick?"

"Finn." Harry said.

"Finn." Niall said.

"Finn." Zayn said.

"Finn." Liam said.

"Kye." Zayn said. Everyone turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Kye?" Dermott asked, confused.

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I think that Ella, Finn and Jahmene are definitely the best singers in this competition. But you can't have a support act be better than the main act! Kye's the next best soloist."

"OK, thank you so much for being here. Ladies and Gentlemen… One Direction!"


	105. Chapter 105

"And now for the results." Dermott said ominously. "7 acts here tonight. 5 acts will be guaranteed a performance next week. 2 will be in the bottom two. One will be eliminated. Lines are closed and the results of the public vote are now in. it's time to find out who is safe and who is not. Let's welcome back the judges and their acts! First, Tulisa and her one remaining girl… Ella!"

"Gary and the one remaining over 28… Christopher!"

"Louis and the groups… Union J and District 3!"

"And finally, Nicole and her three boys… Jahmene, Finn and Rylan!"

The four categories took their places on stage, ready to hear the results. All of them were on edge as they could easily be in the bottom two.

"All right. It's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the 5 acts definitely going through to next week's show, and the two who received the fewest votes and will have to sing again in the final showdown. As always, good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Finn!"

"YES! Come on!" Finn exclaimed in delight. After being hugged by Nicole, Jahmene, Rylan, Ella and Union J, Finn took his place at the side of the stage. Although Finn was friends with almost all of the finalists, he had recently become particularly close with Union J. Although Finn loved Rylan and Ella, their interests seemed kind of boring and not particularly appealing to Finn. Union J, on the other hand, were a group of rowdy 16-18 year old guys who Finn shared way more interests with. Between throwing a football around in the hotel lawn, late-night jam sessions, late-night poker games, and their random betting on NFL games, Finn spent a lot of time with the group, and was basically accepted in as a fifth member.

"Also through to next week's show is… Rylan!"

Rylan looked as shocked as Gary at his making it to the next round. Majority of people had suspected that the bottom two would be Rylan and District 3, but now that Rylan was through, that meant that one of the elite acts was in the bottom two - and they knew it wasn't Christopher because he rigged the competition. Finn knew that he was safe though so he felt relieved more than anything else. Rylan joined him shortly after and the two guys high fived.

"The third act safe and definitely going to be returning next week is… Jahmene!"

Well, all three of Nicole's acts were through! That left just Union J, District 3, Ella and Christopher awaiting their fates.

"The next act safe is… Ella!"

Finn smiled to himself. Ella, Jahmene and Rylan were all through! Now he just needed Union J to be put through in the final spot and he'd be happy. But he knew it probably wasn't going to happen though. Christopher was still on stage and chances are that he would be taking that spot, what with all the votes he had paid for himself.

"Four acts have made it through. Only one more is certain of a place in next week's show. Union J, District3 and Christopher. The fifth and final act definitely returning next week is… Christopher!"

"Christopher!"

Crap. That was expected though. Now, with Christopher through, that meant that the final showdown would be Union J vs District3 - the battle of Louis' boy bands. Louis did not look happy at all. It was an impossible showdown to call. District3 was superior in terms of vocals and harmonies, but Union J were more modern and more like a top boy band like One Direction.

"Union J, District3, please come here. Louis, please take your place at the judging table."

They all nodded and took their places, ready for the showdown to begin. Although the stakes were extremely high for both bands, their rivalry was a healthy rivalry so they knew that the competition was not going to be rude or bad-mannered.

"Union J and District3, I can only imagine how tense this is for you. In only a couple of seconds, you will have to battle it out for the judges, who decide on who stays and who goes home. Both of you have been in the bottom two before so you know how it works. District3, you're singing first so please get ready. Union J, please join me side-stage. Good luck to the both of you."

_Oh, her eyes, her eyes_

_Make the stars look like they're not shinin'_

_Her hair, her hair_

_Falls perfectly without her trying_

_She's so beautiful_

_And I tell her everyday_

_Yeah_

_I know, I know_

_When I compliment her she won't believe me_

_And it's so, it's so_

_Sad to think that she don't see what I see_

_But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?"_

_I say_

_When I see your face (face, face...)_

_There's not a thing that I would change_

_'Cause you're amazing (amazing)_

_Just the way you are (are)_

_Oh you know, you know, you know_

_I'd never ask you to change_

_If perfect's what you're searching for_

_Then just stay the same_

_So don't even bother asking if you look okay_

_You know I'll say,_

_When I see your face (face, face...)_

_There's not a thing that I would change_

_'Cause you're amazing (amazing)_

_Just the way you are (are)_

_And when you smile (smile, smile...)_

_The whole world stops and stares for a while_

_'Cause, girl, you're amazing (amazing)_

_Just the way you are (are)_

_The way you are_

_The way you are_

_Girl, you're amazing (amazing)_

_Just the way you are (are)_

The vocals of their number were absolutely dreamy, and they had certainly set the bar high. It was up to Union J to live up to the standards now. The two boy bands switched places so Union J were center stage and District3 was standing to the side with Dermott.

"Well done District3. Union J, best of luck."

_I let it fall, my heart_

_And as it fell, you rose to claim it_

_It was dark, and I was over_

_Until you kissed my lips and you saved me_

_But there's a side to you_

_That I never knew, never knew_

_All the things you'd say_

_They were never true, never true_

_And the games you'd play_

_You would always win, always win_

_But I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!_

_When I lay with you_

_I could stay there_

_Close my eyes_

_Feel you here forever_

_You and me together_

_Nothing is better_

_I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!_

_Sometimes I wake up by the door_

_That heart you caught must be waiting for you_

_Even now, when we're already over_

_I can't help myself from looking for you_

_I set fire to the rain_

_Watched it pour as I touched your face_

_Well, it burned while I cried_

_'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name_

There were a couple of tears shed by members of the audience and judging panel at the end of the song. Union J sang with such emotion and desperation in their voices that people couldn't help but emote. Shortly after they had finished singing, District3 and Dermott joined Union J center stage, where the two bands would be awaiting their fate from the judges.

"Well done District3 and Union J!" Dermott said. "You have done all you can but only one of you can return to sing again next week. One of you will be leaving the competition. That decision, as always, in the hands of Louis, Tulisa, Nicole and Gary. I'll ask each of them who they want to send home and in the event of a tie, we go to deadlock and we revert to the public vote. Judges, it's time to judge and I need a decision. Louis, I'm so sorry but I'm coming to you first. Mentor to both of them, but I need you to judge and I need you to tell me the act you're sending home."

"Dermott, I'm not voting." Louis said, simply. That made sense. He didn't want his vote to end up causing problems between the groups, and problems to his relationship with the groups. "I don't want to send either of these groups home. No way! I'll leave it up to the other three judges."

"I get it." Dermott said, sympathetically. "That means that it is impossible for the decision to go to deadlock, and the act with at least two votes from the three remaining judges advances. Gary, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"OK, when I saw both of these acts in the bottom two, I thought this going to be quite simple actually because in the past, District3 have always one-uped Union J in terms of vocals. I thought that in a sing off, they would beat Union J easily. The shame is, tonight, that was one of your worst vocal performances to date. I'm so disappointed. And Union J, although there was less harmony, I felt that you wanted it that bit more. So the act I'm sending home tonight is District3. I'm sorry guys."

1-0 Union J. One more vote and they'd go through.

"Nicole, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"You know what?" Nicole said to District3. "For you, District3, a bad day of harmonies is other people having a good day with harmonies so you should be very proud of that. Boys, you have my heart. You really do. But the group that I think is a more mature group and a little bit more ready for this now is Union J so I'm so sorry but I'm sending home District3."

Union J were through; District3 were out. It was a bittersweet experience for Union J, as of course they were delighted that they lived to fight another week, but it was devastating to lose such a good boy band and three of their closest friends, in District3.

"Two votes against District3 means that District3 are going home." Dermott said. "Tulisa, who would you have gone with?"

"Um…" Tulisa said. "I think that they're performances were amazing in different ways. Like we've said before, one is an R'n'B harmony group and the other more commercial boy band. I have a deep connection with District3, like my heart is with them, so I would have saved District3."

"OK, thank you. Union J, congratulations. Please join the rest of the contestants."

Union J left the stage feeling extremely bad about themselves. They were at the lowest point morale wise they had been all competition, even more so than when they were in the bottom two last time. But that didn't change the result. District3 had officially been eliminated from the X Factor, leaving the final 6 acts as Finn, Jahmene, Rylan, Ella, Christopher and Union J. The only questionable entries in that list were Christopher and Rylan - Christopher more so because at least Rylan had his niche, and what he was good at. Christopher didn't, or at least didn't show it. He would perform and ruin the same kind of 90s ballads every week, and then vote repeatedly for himself to ensure his place in the following weeks.

But Finn couldn't worry about what others were doing. He was so far in the competition, and he couldn't worry about what others were doing. He needed to just focus on himself, and given all the support he had received from mega stars all over the world, he genuinely believed that he stood a chance of making the finals.


	106. Chapter 106

Back in the green room, Union J were close to tears. It had been a really rough night for them and none of the reassuring things the other contestants said helped lighten their mood. The minute the show went off the air, the judges walked off stage to the green room. They had a colossal week planned for the remaining contestants, and they needed to get started tonight. The judges walked into the green room and nodded at the contestants.

"Hey guys. Great job last night. Union J, great job tonight as well. That was a tough night for all of us." Louis said, glumly. "But chins up now. We're approaching week 7 and we have a HUGE surprise for you. You guys are playing a gig in front of two thousand people in… wait for it… Disneyland, Paris!"

The competitors all gasped, cheered and screamed in delight. They were all used to performing for small crowds in bars, pubs, auditoriums, etc., and this was a HUGE step up. Sure, Finn had performed with One Direction in front of a larger audience, but this was different. This was his first big performance in front of a colossal audience as a soloist. They were driven back to the hotel and had to pack a bag ASAP as their flight was in 4 hours. The 6 acts were practically bouncing off the walls with joy as they were chauffeured to the airport, where they would be taking Simon Cowell's private jet to Paris.

The flight was one of the most luxurious planes they had ever been on, but they couldn't enjoy it. They were too busy discussing what they wanted to do when they got to Disneyland. None of them had ever been to France before, and Finn was the only one of them who spoke fluent French so they were all excited and daunted at the prospect of performing in a foreign country. Finn was in an intense game of multiplayer Rocket League with Union J for practically the whole flight.

"Hey Finn?" Josh said, not looking at Finn and instead just keeping his eyes on the game.

"Yeah?" Finn replied, also engrossed in the stressful video game.

"Since you're used to performing in bars, this is going to be really different for you, huh?"

"Hell yeah. It's going to be fun. It's going to be awesome."

It sure was awesome.

The plane landed four hours after takeoff, and the contestants practically sprinted to the door to make it out of the plane first. They were so excited to see Paris! They stepped off the plane and were swiftly ushered into a limousine to take them from the private jetway to the amusement park. Finn stepped into a limo with Jahmene and Rylan and the driver took off for the park. When they arrived, their jaws dropped…

Disneyland was like nothing they had ever seen before. It was gorgeous! The highest steeple of the main princess castle ripped through the clouds effortlessly; the enticing scent of a mix between cotton candy, ice cream and popcorn wafted up Finn's nostrils; but best of all, the sound of laughter of all ages rang through the air. The second the contestants stepped out of the three limousines, they ran into the hotel, checked in, and then decided to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the park. Christopher was not among them as he wanted to 'practice for the concert' which anyways, was in two days' time. They weren't complaining though. The 8 young adults walked past a Disney gift shop after a while, and Rylan quickly popped inside. He came out holding an opaque brown bag, from which he pulled out matching Mickie and Minnie Mouse ears. He put on the Mickie Mouse ears, and then put an arm around Finn.

"Finn, will you be my Minnie?" He joked, holding out the ears. Everyone laughed and Finn groaned.

"Do I have a choice?" He asked.

"Nope!" Rylan exclaimed, and he dumped the ears on Finn's head. Finn chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"So, what do you guys want to do?" Finn asked.

"Roller coasters!" Union J exclaimed.

"Nah. Roller coasters make me sick." Ella said. Rylan and Jahmene agreed.

"Well, why don't we split up? Union J can do their roller coaster and the rest of us can do something else." Jahmene suggested. They nodded.

"Yeah, let's do it." Ella said. "Finn, you coming with us or them?"

Finn laughed.

"You joking? I LOVE roller coasters! I'm going with Union J. I'll catch up with you guys at dinner."

They nodded.

"OK, see you soon." They waved at the five guys as they sprinted over to Space Mountain – the biggest roller coaster in the park.

Four hours later, the five boys had ridden every single ride at the park several times over, they approached the final attraction – the Buzz Lightyear laser-shooting ride. They would have to sit in a moving carriage and shoot small dots that lit up on the wall with a laser gun. Every successful shot would give the competitor 10 points and the person with the most points wins.

Finn and Union J clambered into the carriage and prepared to start the ride.

"You know? I don't think this is fair." JJ said. "After all, how are we supposed to compete with someone who's been to Afghanistan and back and lived."

"Don't forget the fact that you were the highest-scoring Marksman of the decade in Delta Force training!" Josh added. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know that? I don't tell anyone that."

"My dad, he's in the Marine Corps." Josh hesitantly explained. "He's a Lieutenant. When all of the rumors about your past came out, I… I kinda asked him to look you up in records to make sure you were actually in the Army and not some blood-thirsty mercenary who enjoyed killing people."

"Well, what did he find?" Finn asked in a sharp, clipped tone.

"I found that you're a genuinely great guy." Josh said.

"All of the stuff was redacted, wasn't it?" Finn laughed. Josh chuckled and nodded.

"Pretty much." He admitted. Finn sighed.

"Look, I really like you guys, and you know me relatively well. I think you guys didn't need any records to prove that I'm not some monster. You just needed to get to know me."

"Yeah, and after getting to know you this past couple of weeks, you've become like a brother to us. And we know that all of those reports are bullshit."

Finn sighed.

"They're not all untrue." Finn muttered.

"W… w… what?" Jaymi stammered.

"Look, don't get me wrong, none of the stuff about getting off on violence is true. The truth of the matter is that I've killed people before. Bad people I might add. But still, pulling the trigger, even if you're staring down at one of the most dangerous people in the world, is the worst feeling in the world. Every time you shoot someone, a bullet hits not only the enemy, but it also shoots you too. Imagine all of the pain you've ever felt. All of the heartbreak. All of the worry. All of the stress. That's all packed into a bullet that feels even more painful than the one that's just hit the man in front of you. It's so much worse because you have to live with the fact that you've just taken someone's life. When you see them bleeding out, it's like all of the happiness inside you is bleeding out too."

"Wow, that's deep." Jacob remarked. "But that just shows how much you were willing to sacrifice."

"Yeah." Josh agreed. "And there's one thing that wasn't redacted in the files he read. He said that you, Finn Hudson, received the Medal of Honor."

Finn blushed.

"Again, not something I advertise." Finn murmured.

"Why? If I won the Medal of Honor, that would be the first thing I tell people when I meet them."

"Well, I just don't think I deserve it. I was, like the reports say, effectively an assassin. Sure, I did other missions - hostage rescues, drug raids, gang/terrorist group takedowns – but murdering high level terrorists/cartel/gang members was my main calling. I don't deserve a medal for ending people's lives. I'm not God. It's not my decision who lives and who dies."

"No, you're definitely not God. But those men or women you killed needed to die."

"According to who? Because last I checked, you're not God either." Finn growled.

"I know I'm not. But I also know that everyone you killed had or was going to kill innocent civilians and killing them saved the lives of others. You sacrificed your soul and well-being to save the lives of others. That makes you a hero to me."

"Thanks, dude. Now let's start this ride so I can kick your asses. You guys aren't going to beat me at a shooting game."

"Ooh, is that a challenge?" Josh laughed.

"Yup, and you know what, I'm so confident that I bet that I can rack up a higher score than all of you combined."

"OK, we'll take that action. What are we betting?" Jaymi said.

"OK, how about this? If you get more kills, we will have to wear a disney costume of your choice for all of tomorrow. But if the four of us get more kills, we get to pick your costume for the day."

Finn grinned.

"Deal."

The five guys picked up their laser guns and prepared to begin. The minute the carriage started moving, the boys went into a frenzy, spamming their guns with rapid fire shooting. Finn, however, was much more calculating, waiting for the perfect time to open fire. By the end of the ride, Josh had 140 points, Jaymi had 30 (he was REALLY bad!), JJ had 120 and Jacob had 80. Finn emerged victorious in the bet, earning a whopping 810 points. As the boys stepped off the ride, Finn grinned and turned to Union J.

"So, I believe you guys are going to be dressed as Frozen characters tomorrow." Finn commented. Union J shook their heads.

"No, no, no. It's not fair. You were at the front of the carriage so you had the best shot. Of course you were going to win!" Jaymi exclaimed.

"Excuses, excuses." Finn remarked, rolling his eyes. Suddenly, an employee who was working at the ride walked up to them.

"Pardon me, gentlemen but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and this man is actually correct." He said, pointing to Jaymi. "I've been working here for almost 10 years and 9/10 times, the player on the front wins. The front seat is actually mainly meant for children, hence the advantage."

Union J suddenly grinned and put their hands on Finn's shoulder.

"No! That doesn't take away from the fact that I won, and by almost 3 times the amount. Here, why don't we make a deal? Given that I technically still won and I was the last on the carriage so any of you could've claimed the front seat before me, you still have to dress up as Elsa and Anna from Frozen - you guys decide whichever you want to be."

"How is that fair?!" Josh asked.

"Wait, here me out!" Finn replied. "You guys wear that, and I'll also have to wear a costume. But I can choose what I want to dress up as. After all, we shouldn't have to wear the same thing. I beat all of you combined; not just one person."

The boys thought for a moment before sighing and nodded.

"Fine."


	107. Chapter 107

"Come on out boys!" Finn shouted gleefully. Finn, Rylan, Ella, Jahmene and Union J were sitting in a costume store in the park, waiting for Union J to walk out of the locker room. Josh and Jaymi had opted to dress up as Elsa whilst JJ and Jacob had decided to go with Anna. The others were SO excited to see the boys in their full Frozen glory and when they finally emerged from the locker room, the group wolf-whistled and jeered.

"Looking good, Josh!" Rylan laughed.

"You clean up nice, Jaymi. Maybe you'd like to come back to my hotel room with me. " Finn joked. Jaymi rolled his eyes and hit Finn lightly on the shoulder.

"Your turn, big man. Who are you gonna be?" He asked. Finn winked.

"Wait and see." He replied before walking into the locker room. When he was inside, the rest of the group heard a weird amount of 'CLANK!' sounds coming from within. Five minutes later, Finn burst out of the dressing room…

"TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!" Finn exclaimed, laughing. He was dressed in a Buzz Lightyear costume, complete with a hard plastic Buzz Lightyear chest plate that actually opens up wings when the main button is pressed.

"Oh jesus, what's wrong with you?" Ella groaned, giggling.

"What? Buzz Lightyear's a savage. And the main male role model for me growing up."

"That's… sad." Rylan said.

"No, kidding." Finn replied. "Now…" He said, clapping his hands together. "Let's go and show Union J off to the world!"

"Actually…" Ella said. "Tulisa just texted me. All of us are doing a quick segment on the Xtra Factor."

"Wait, does that mean that Union J are going to have to change?" Finn asked, dejectedly. JJ leapt into the air.

"YES!" He shouted in a mixture of relief and delight. "WE CAN CHANGE!"

"Hold on, Pippi Longstocking." Ella said, holding a hand. "You're not changing. All of us have to wear Disney costumes for this segment so you'll be right at home."

Union J's faces went from delight to distraughtness to defeat in a matter of seconds. JJ gritted his teeth.

"Fine." He muttered.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

An hour later, the contestants were all dressed in their costumes. Rylan was dressed as Goofy from Mickey Mouse, Ella was dressed as Winnie the Pooh, Jahmene was dressed as Baloo from the Jungle Book, Finn was still Buzz Lightyear and Union J were, of course, still Frozen princess. Finn snickered as they all walked to the Princess Castle, where they would be meeting Caroline Flack.

"Wow, we look so dumb." He remarked and they all nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. At least no fans can recognise us like this." Rylan pointed out.

"True. That probably is going to be part of whatever segment we're doing." Ella added. They all nodded. She had a point. They were probably dressed incognito to surprise fans in some way or another. Soon, they arrived at the castle and saw Caroline waiting for them.

"Hey guys. How was your day yesterday? Wow, when we told you guys to dress up, you really don't fool around, huh?" She commented, looking Union J up and down. Finn snickered.

"Trust me, this wasn't our choice. We kinda lost a bet with Finn." Union J explained.

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense. Like you do realise that that costume is geared towards little girls right?" She asked the group.

"We know." Jaymi muttered, embarrassed.

"Yeah, that's why it suits them so perfectly." Finn laughed. Josh punched him on the arm.

"So what are we doing today, Caroline?" Ella asked, changing the subject.

"Well…" Caroline explained. "We're doing a bit of a fun piece. We're going to go around to random fans in the park and I'll ask them if they watch the X Factor. If they do, I'll ask them who they're favourite is. Then, you guys will take your masks, helmets or wigs (the latter was directed at Union J) and reveal yourselves."

Union J's faces dropped.

"Wait… we're going to be seen by fans like this?" Josh asked, horrified.

"Yup." Caroline said, cheerfully.

"But we look…" Josh's voice trailed off as he gestured to his eccentric costume.

"Well, I didn't ask you to do that, now did I?" Caroline asked.

"You didn't, but Woody here made us!" Josh exclaimed..

"Buzz Lightyear! I'm Buzz Lightyear! Woody is a different character! But that's beside the point. You lost the bet, you pay the price. Suck it up princesses." Finn grinned.

"Yeah, boys. Suck it up, and let's go!" Caroline said, and they began the live segment.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

They walked around the main square of the park - in front of the Disney Castle - followed by various cameras and motorcycles. To the public, it just looked like an interview being followed by cameras and random Disney characters - nobody was the wiser as to what was going on.

"Hey there, do you watch the X Factor?" Caroline asked a young couple, no older than 21.

"No, sorry." They replied. The group moved onto the next person. It was a teenage girl.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Do you watch the X Factor?" Caroline asked. The girl nodded.

"Yeah, I love that show!" She exclaimed. "You're Caroline Flack, aren't you?"

"I am. We're doing a small segment as a pump up for the competitors for this week. Do you mind if we ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure." The girl replied.

"Cool, thank you." Caroline said. "First of all, what's your name, where are you from and how old are you."

"Um… I'm Haley, I'm 16 and I'm from Germany."

"OK, Haley, who is your favourite contestant?" Caroline asked.

"Finn Hudson." Haley said, without even stopping to think.

"OK, and what do you like about him?"

"He's just amazing. His voice… it does something to me. It touches me right here." She said, pointing to her heart.

"Yeah, I think we all love the soul that Finn brings to the competition." Caroline said.

"Oh, and he's so sexy too!" Haley added. Finn had to disguise a snorting laugh as a cough.

"Well that brings me to my next question. Who do you think is the hottest competitor?" Caroline asked.

"Definitely Finn Hudson. He has that mysterious vibe to him, and that combined with the urban, scruffy look is just so sexy to me."

"Yeah, he is a pretty attractive guy." Caroline agreed. "What if we were to tell you that there was a way that you could meet him?"

"I'd say I've never wanted something as much in my entire life."

"And what if we were to say that he's standing not even 5 feet away from you?"

"I'd say that I don't believe you." Haley laughed. Suddenly, Finn tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned around to face him, Finn took off his Buzz Lightyear mask and when she saw his face, Haley started screaming in excitement. Finn smiled and hugged her.

"Hey, how's it going?" Finn asked. The girl hadn't yet regained her wits and speech, and it didn't help when the rest of the contestants had removed their disguises and the girl saw the rest of them. Eventually, once Haley had finally managed to get words out of her mouth, the contestants had a quick conversation with her, and she took pictures with and got autographs from them. Finally, Caroline asked her last question.

"OK, Haley. Last question. Who are you voting for this week?"

"Finn Hudson definitely." She said.

"You know you don't have to say my full name, right?" Finn laughed. "Just Finn is fine."

"I'm sorry. Force of habit. When my friends and I talk about you, we use your full name."

"Then make sure your friends vote for me too!" Finn asked her. She laughed.

"Trust me, they're going to vote for you. We're all crazy for you and your music."

"Well, it's been great talking to you, Haley, but we have to move on now. Have a great rest of the day."

The group walked away and then approached two ladies who seemed to be in their early thirties.

"Hello there, do you watch the X Factor?" Caroline asked them.

"Désolé je ne parle pas anglais." The girl said, meaning that she didn't speak English. The group had no idea what she had just said but Finn, speaking and understanding fluent French due to his Canadian background, walked over to her.

"Bonjour madame. Regardez-vous le X Factor? **(Do you watch the X Factor?)** " Finn asked.

"Non désolé. **(No sorry)** " The girls replied. Given the group were none the wiser at what was going on, Finn decided to have a little fun. After all, none of them were wearing disguises so the girls clearly didn't know who they were. "Un instant s'il vous plaît. **(One moment please)** " Finn said to the ladies before turning back to the group.

"No, they don't watch the show." Finn said, and the group turned to walk away. Finn grabbed Josh by the arm. "Hang back, dude." Finn said. "That girl thinks you're hot and she wants for you to go back to her hotel with her. Are you interested?"

The girl was tall and gorgeous - definitely out of Josh's league so of course Josh was.

"Well, duh! That girl looks amazing. But I don't speak French. How am I meant to talk to her?"

"Um… ooh, I know! Let me be your translator. I can tell you what to say."

"You'd do that?" Josh asked, surprised. Finn nodded.

"Of course." Finn replied. "Now, say these words exactly… Quels gros seins tu as! Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? **(What big breasts you have! Will you sleep with me?)** "

Josh nodded.

"Got it. What does it mean?"

"Um… it means you have beautiful eyes. When I look into them, I see so much life, soul and spirit in them."

"Cool. Well, wish me luck."

"Good luck, buddy." Finn said before walking back to the rest of the group, who were all watching in amazement.

"Wait, is Josh about to hit on that girl?" Ella asked in shock.

"Dude's about to crash and burn." Finn remarked, amused.

"Hey, you never know. You told him what to say, right? You're a pretty smooth talker." Jaymi said.

"Oh no, trust me. He's gonna fail. I might have fed him some rude phrases for him to say to the girls and pretended that they meant good things."

Before anyone could say anything more, they watched as the girl slapped Josh across the face and stormed off. Josh walked back to the rest of the group, confused.

"Swing and a miss, I guess. Thanks for helping me out, Finn." He said. Finn snickered.

"Miss? More like you got clobbered by your teammate and his bat right before stepping up to the plate."

"Huh?" Josh asked, before realisation dawned on his face. "What did you make me say, Finn?"

"Yeah, what did you tell him?" Rylan asked, laughing, as Josh clutched the side of his face, in which a red handprint was starting to show.

"OK, I might have told him to say… what nice honkers you have! Will you sleep with me?"

The group erupted in laughter and Josh blushed furiously.

"DUDE!" Josh exclaimed. "And here I was thinking that you were being nice. That girl wasn't even interested in me, was she?"

Finn shook his head as he laughed hysterically along with the rest of the group.

"No, no she was not. But it was hilarious to watch you try and hit on her in French. Surprisingly good pronunciation but a flawed message. Anyways, that should teach you to have more respect for women. You didn't know her, didn't even speak her language, and yet you were willing to have sex with her."

Ella, the only female amongst them, high fived Finn and then turned to Josh.

"Yeah, Finn's right. And what if you actually had sex with her and she got pregnant? What would you do then? She lives across the Atlantic from you. Would you move here or would she move to the States to raise the baby? And would you learn French or would she learn English?"

Josh was rendered speechless.

"Gee, I'm sorry MOM." Josh remarked. "Can we move away from this topic now?"

Ella rolled her eyes and they rejoined Caroline and the cameras. The rest of the day was spent surprising fans. Finn and Ella were by far the most popular, but all of the contestants had their respective fans. Christopher was still nowhere to be found. He was in his room 'resting' before their concert that evening. He had done a lot of 'resting' lately, but he'd always come back with his eyes bloodshot and his mouth smelling strongly of mouthwash.

They didn't have time to focus on Christopher though. The performance was that night, and before they knew it, they were getting changed into the performance clothes…


	108. Chapter 108

"Hey guys, are you ready for the performance?" Nicole asked them. The finalists were all gathered backstage of the princess castle, ready to begin the show. Christopher had joined them at this point, once again smelling strongly of mouthwash and looking like he had just been using. The 4 mentors didn't call him out on it, but Finn could tell that they noticed and were trying to give him the benefit of the doubt for the sake of the competition.

"Yeah. We're so excited!" Ella exclaimed. Ella was opening the show, followed by Christopher, then Union J, then Jahmene, then Rylan, and finally, Finn would be closing the show. They each were about to sing three of their favourite songs that they had sung in the competition so far.

Ella went on first and she got a massive reception when she walked on stage. Ella, like Finn and Jahmene, was a fan-favourite to win the competition, and a lot of her votes came from 'girl-power' fans. Ella put on an incredible opening to the show, singing Firework, Wildest Dreams and Lovin' You. It was hilarious to see the different in the volume of the audience when Ella sang versus when Christopher sang. It was like nobody really cared. That was emphasised even more when Union J came on and received the screams of every teenage girl in the park. Union J chose to sing Bleeding Love, Love Story and Fix You.

Jahmene also received the praise of the whole arena. Although he wasn't favoured by the majority of the younger generation as he didn't sing pop songs like Finn, Ella and Union J, nobody could deny that his voice was second to none. He probably was vocally the best singer the competition had ever had, and that included stars such as Leona Lewis.

Rylan was a refreshing next act. He might not be as strong a singer as the others, but he had the entertainment factor that nobody else did. He sang three entertaining mashups, complete with dancers, flamboyant costumes and flashing lights. But the applause that he received was nothing compared to the reception that Finn got as he walked on stage for his three song set.

"Hey, how's everyone doing tonight?" Finn asked as he walked on stage, a mic in one hand and his acoustic guitar in the other. He clipped the mic on the mic stand and quickly tuned his guitar.

"So, my first song tonight is my favourite song that I've performed in the competition. It was so much fun to work on and it was very different to the rest of my performances. This is I'm Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO, but my version of the song."

As the crowd cheered in excitement, Finn started strumming the bluesy, soulful choral progression.

_Oohh...ah_

_When I walk on by, girls be looking like ''oh, he's fly!''_

_And I'll pimp to the beat, walking on street in my new la freak, yeah!_

_This is how I roll, animal print pants out of control_

_It's a Red Foo with a big afro and just like Bruce Lee, rock out the club_

_Oh! oh! girl! look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, this is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, show it, show it, show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh, i'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh.. yeah!_

_When I'm at the mall, security just can't find them all_

_When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo, trying to tan my cheeks,yeah_

_And this is how I roll. Come on ladies, It's time to go_

_We headed to bar, Baby, don't be nervous_

_No shoes, no shirt, I still get service!_

_Oh, oh girl, look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, This is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, Show it, Show it, Show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

**For the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=QukmpmDFXTw**

**Or search… "Sexy and I Know It James Arthur**

Finn finished the song with a flourish and the crowd was absolutely deafening with their screams. Finn heard countless 'I LOVE YOU!s' coming from the female voices in the audience. The thing that made Finn so much more successful and loved by fans than the rest of the competitors, despite all of the negative press that had come out before the competition, was that Finn's music was appealing to all genders and ages. Ella was mainly favoured by young adult female audiences; Union J were mainly favoured by teenage girls; Rylan was favoured by only those who were able to look past his vocals and enjoy his performances; Jahmene was the favourite of many of the older viewers who tended to be more familiar with the music he sang than the younger viewers; and Christopher tended to be the favourite of the elderly, who only watched the show to spend time with their grandchildren who were X Factor fans.

"Thank you. Thank you all for your support throughout this whole competition. I wouldn't be where I am today without you, the public's, constant support by voting for me and flooding my social media with compliments. I love you all. The next song I'm singing is the song I sang just a couple of days ago: Hometown Glory by Adele."

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh yeah_

_I've been walking in the same way, as i did_

_Missing out the cracks in the pavement_

_And tuttin my heel and strutting my feet_

_Is there anything I can do for you dear?_

_Is there anyone I could call?_

_No, and thank you please madame_

_I ain't lost just wandering_

_Round my hometown_

_Memories are fresh_

_From my hometown_

_Ooo the people I've met_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of this world_

_Are the wonders no_

_Yeah!_

_Like it in the city_

_When the is so thick and opaque_

_I like to see everybody in short skirts shorts and shades_

_Oh i like it in the city when two worlds collide_

_You got the people and the government_

_Everybody's taking different sides_

_Round my hometown_

_Memories are fresh_

_From my hometown_

_Ooo the people I've met_

_And are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of my world_

**To see the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=BGi_wrQ05Rk**

**Or search… "James Arthur Hometown Glory"**

"Thank you." Finn said as the audience bellowed their cheers and applause. "You guys are awesome!"

The audience started chanting 'FINN! FINN! FINN!' and Finn smiled to himself. 5 years ago, never in a million years had he pictured himself standing on stage in Disneyland Paris, with thousands of fans chanting his name. He felt like he was in a dream and any minute now, his alarm clock would go off and he'd wake up back in his bedsit in Lima.

"So…" Finn said. "My final song for the night is not something that I've performed for the X Factor. Recently, I got the opportunity to perform a concert in Boston with a small band. You might have heard of them… One Direction."

The crowd picked up their volume one hundred fold at the mention of the famous boy band.

"Yeah, so I recently got to step in for Zayn Malik and perform with One Direction, which was just incredible. It was probably one of the best experiences of my life. I absolutely love their music, so for my final song, I'm going to sing my own cover of my favourite song by them. Hope you enjoy it."

_I've got fire for a heart_

_I'm not scared of the dark_

_You've never seen it look so easy_

_I got a river for a soul_

_And baby you're a boat_

_Baby you're my only reason_

_If I didn't have you there would be nothing left_

_The shell of a man who could never be his best_

_If I didn't have you, I'd never see the sun_

_You taught me how to be someone, yeah_

_All my life_

_You stood by me_

_When no one else was ever behind me_

_All these lights_

_They can't blind me_

_With your love, nobody can drag me down_

_All my life_

_You stood by me_

_When no one else was ever behind me_

_All these lights_

_They can't blind me_

_With your love, nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_I got fire for a heart_

_I'm not scared of the dark_

_You've never seen it look so easy_

_I got a river for a soul_

_And baby you're a boat_

_Baby you're my only reason_

_If I didn't have you there would be nothing left (nothing left)_

_The shell of a man who could never be his best (be his best)_

_If I didn't have you, I'd never see the sun (see the sun)_

_You taught me how to be someone_

_Yeah_

_All my life_

_You stood by me_

_When no one else was ever behind me_

_All these lights_

_They can't blind me_

_With your love, nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me_

_All my life_

_You stood by me_

_When no one else was ever behind me_

_All these lights_

_They can't blind me_

_With your love, nobody can drag me down_

_All my life_

_You stood by me_

_When no one else was ever behind me_

_All these lights_

_They can't blind me_

_With your love, nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

_Nobody, nobody_

_Nobody can drag me down_

At the end of the song, Finn had to keep his earpiece in to prevent himself from going deaf. The audience's applause was SO LOUD! Finn smiled and waved to them as he walked off stage.

"Thank you so much, everybody. You guys are amazing! And if you see me around the park tomorrow, feel free to come over and have a chat."

Finn stepped off stage and walked to the corner of the park where the judges and contestants were all waiting with bottles of champagne for everyone.

"You guys did great! All of you! Fantastic job!" Gary exclaimed. "Now it's time to celebrate like winners. We are going to do the most fun thing on earth - pop the champagne bottles so that champagne goes everywhere and we can spray each other with it."

"That's unless Christopher hasn't drank all of it." Josh muttered under his breath. Finn snorted and fistbumped his friend. The contestants all took their bottles and tried to pop open their bottles but nobody could.

"Seriously? You guys can't do it? Have you ever won a sports tournament before?" Finn chuckled as he watched them struggle. When he saw their faces red with effort, he laughed. "Never mind. I have my answer there. Here, watch and learn."

Finn explained carefully to them how to do it and moments later, champagne was flying everywhere. Soon, everyone was drenched. They spent the next couple of minutes chasing each other around like children, wielding their erupting champagne bottles. It was like all of their worries about the competition were being temporarily forgotten, and they got one night of blissful, innocent fun.

However, the fun had to come to an end eventually. At the end of their three day trip, the contestants found themselves on the plane back to the States, refreshed and ready for the rest of the competition…


	109. Chapter 109

This week's song theme was 'Guilty Pleasures' and because they only had 4 days to prepare, they had to work FAST. Finn had decided to do a fully stripped back guitar cover of his song - no backing track, no dancers, nothing. Just him, his voice and his guitar.

Soon, it was Friday and Finn was in the arena, doing his soundcheck. After he finished singing, Nicole walked over to him, clapping her hands and cheering.

"YES! That's what I'm talking about! That sounds wicked! That sounds gorgeous!" Nicole exclaimed. "This is the song that all the girls want to hear you sing to them."

He was slightly nervous about Saturday's performance for more reasons than one. The song he had planned wasn't his normal style of music but he loved it. Every week, he tried to put his own twist on the songs he got but secretly, he was worried that he wouldn't get a recording contract unless he won the competition. He was going to go out there and do the best he could. This week was going to be no different to any other.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome to the X Factor! Your Saturday night starts right here!" Dermott shouted. "We are live on ITV 1 and we are speeding towards the final. In just three weeks, one of our 6 remaining acts will be crowned the winner but not before they overcome tonight's challenge in which we strip away their cool, hip exteriors and reveal their guilty pleasures. We're gonna hear some big, cheesy pop songs that secretly, you love. But along with the pleasure, there will be an awful lot of pain as one act will be leaving the competition. But first, it is time to meet four people who are guilty of many things. They're bossy, they're critical, it's the X Factor judges!"

The four judges walked on stage, waving. Louis, Gary and Tulisa were a lot more stressed than Nicole. It helped that Nicole was naturally more relaxed than her colleagues, but also, Nicole had three acts left in the competition while the others had just one each. There was a 50% chance that either Gary, Tulisa and Louis would be out of the competition tonight.

"All right. The guilt is commencing with the groups. 4 boys: Josh, Jaymi, JJ, Jacob. Give it up for Union J!"

Last week was absolutely devastating for Union J - to be in the bottom two for the second time and on top of that, be up against some of their best friends in the competition. They were over the moon when they were voted through, but now, they had to show the audience that they still deserved to be in the competition. For their Guilty Pleasure song, they went with Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson. It was the same song they sang at the Judge's House Round of the competition so many months ago, and they did a superb job at the song. However, with the elite group of competitors that were left, there was a good chance that Union J would be in the bottom two, unless there was a big shock and one of the favourites (Ella, Finn and Jahmene) were in the bottom two.

However, that looked increasingly unlikely when Ella went on next and blew the judges away with her slow, stunning, unique cover of You're The One That I Want from Grease. How that was a Guilty Pleasure was unsure as Grease had one of the best selling soundtracks of all time, but nobody could deny that she absolutely smashed it. It was her best performance to date BY FAR, and the judges' comments definitely reflected that.

It was Finn's turn to go on next and he was slightly nervous. By playing a completely acoustic song, he was taking a massive risk, and he just prayed that it didn't blow up in his face and leave him in the bottom two. He listened and waited for Nicole to introduce him - the cue for him to walk on stage.

"Up next is my soulful star… It's Finn Hudson!"

Finn walked on stage and stopped in front of the mic stand. He didn't have to wait for a prompt to start singing as there was no backing track; he just started strumming the intro of the song on his guitar and then began singing.

_You're just too good to be true can't take my eyes off of you_

_You'd be like heaven to touch I wanna hold you so much_

_And long last love has arrived and I thank God I'm alive_

_You're just too good to be true can't take my eyes off of you_

_Pardon the way that I stare is nothing else to compare_

_The sign of you usually weak there are no words left to speak_

_But if you feel like I feel please let me know that it's real_

_You're just too good to be true can't take my eyes off of you_

_I love you baby and if it's quite alright_

_I need you baby to warm your lonely night_

_I love you baby trust in me when I say_

_Oh pretty baby don't bring me down I pray_

_Oh pretty baby come on and find you stay_

_And let me love you baby let me love you_

_You're just too good to be true..._

_Can't take my eyes off of you can't take my eyes off of you_

_You're just too good to be true can't take my eyes off of you_

_You'd be like heaven to touch I wanna hold you so much_

_And long last love has arrived and I thank God I'm alive_

_You're just too good to be true can't take my eyes off of you_

_I love you baby and if it's quite alright_

_I need you baby to warm your lonely night_

_I love you baby trust in me when I say_

_Oh pretty baby don't bring me down I pray_

_Oh pretty baby come on and find you stay_

_And let me love you baby let me love you_

_Oh give you baby trust to me what I said_

_I need you baby to warm your lonely night_

_Oh pretty baby come on and find you stay_

_And let me love you baby let me love you_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=Os2JxWHHl30**

**Or search… "James Arthur Can't Take My Eyes Off You"**

Finn got his loudest applause yet after his performance. It was like the 10,000 people in the stadium had become 50,000. It was deafening and yet Finn relished in the cheers. He stood on stage and waited patiently for the judges to give him their feedback on his performance. Louis, as always, was the first to give his critique.

"Finn! Every week you come out, and you pick a brilliant song and you do it the Finn Hudson way. The song was a bit safe, but I love what you did with it. The audience reaction says it all. You're definitely going to get a record deal. You're a ready-made artist so no matter what happens in the competition, I guarantee that you will get a record deal because you deserve it." Louis said.

The audience roared with approval.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Finn replied. It was Tulisa's turn next.

"What's amazing about you, Finn, is that even though it was Guilty Pleasures week, that was one of your coolest, most credible performances. You've done it again. You do it every week. You walk in. Impress the hell out of all of us. And walk out." She said.

"Thanks, Tulisa." Finn said. Now, it was time for Gary's feedback. Although Gary was normally the most harsh of all 4 judges BY FAR, he seemed to have Finn's back from the very beginning and other than during the first week, Finn hadn't received any criticism from him: just praise.

"Finn, as the mentor for the U28s I probably shouldn't say this but I want you to win this competition, I really do. I just think you're brilliant. I really do. I love your music, I love your interpretation, I love the way you're embarrassed at all the praise you're getting right now." Finn didn't realise that his face was blushing red. "I love everything about you. And if I was at home right now, I would be voting for you."

"Thank you," Finn responded. He was astonished at Gary's feedback. Finn was Gary's favourite to win, even though Gary still had one competitor (Christopher) in the competition. Nicole was the final judge to give her feedback and because she was not only the nicest judge but also his mentor, he wasn't too worried about being trashed by her.

"Finn, as cheesy as it is man, when you sing, we can't take our eyes off of you. You're mesmerising. This week, you did a real live acoustic version. You stripped everything away. It was just you and your guitar. You are so inspiring."

"Thank you so much." Finn said. His risk had paid off! He had put on one of his best performances yet. Now that the four judges had spoken, it was time for Dermott to come on stage for his quick chat about Finn's performance.

"Oh Barlow!" Dermott exclaimed. "What have you done? You've opened yourself up to a world of pain!"

"I meant what I said." Gary replied, simply. Dermott laughed, nodded and then turned to Finn.

"So Finn, great feedback. I imagine for you, in a performance like this, it's nice to just stand up here with your guitar and do a song without any production behind it, right?"

"Yeah, I mean I don't know if it's been done before on this competition's stage. But also, last week when I did Hometown Glory, I spent most of the time in the production studio working on the dubstep and not much time actually practising the singing part of it. This week, Nicole and I wanted the opposite. We completely stripped it back and it was pretty risky but I think it turned out okay."

"You think?" Dermott asked, incredulously. "That was amazing!"

Finn, once again, looked down and blushed at the feedback and Dermott noticed.

"Are you ever going to get used to taking praise, because whenever anyone says something nice, you just like look down and turn red?"

Finn chuckled.

"Um… I'm just very humbled by it. It doesn't really sink in for me until afterwards. And it's not like I don't enjoy praise, I'm just not used to it, especially from musical icons like those judges. I just want to say thank you so much for your amazing words about me."

"It's great having you in this competition, buddy. Make sure you guys in the audience vote for him if you want to see him next week. It's Finn Hudson everybody!"

Finn waved to the audience and walked back to the greenroom to watch the rest of the competition. After all, there were still 3 acts left to perform. Rylan was the first of those three to perform, singing a Duran Duran and Bros. medley. It wasn't one of his best performances but it wasn't his worst either. However, like Union J, there was a pretty good chance that he would be in the bottom two, not because of his performance, but because of how amazing the remaining contestants were.

Christopher was the penultimate competitor. He sang his best performance of the competition so far - singing Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Taylor - and although it wasn't one of the better performances of the night, everyone knew that he was probably going through to the next round of the competition. That was unless he stopped spending a fortune on voting for himself.

Jahmene, however, would definitely be going through on his own merit. He performed a fantastic cover of Don't Leave Me This Way. Every week, Jahmene put on an incredible show. It was like he wasn't capable of a bad day. With each performance, he solidified himself more and more as the favourite to win the competition.

They all went back to the hotel that night, nervous. They had no idea who would be in the bottom two. It could be any of them now. Nobody was safe and the competition was merciless…


	110. Chapter 110

"Hello there! Welcome to the X Factor Week 7 Results Show!"

Dermott shouted his introduction as the contestants watched from the green room, uneasy. For some reason, Finn had a bad feeling that he was going to be in the bottom two. It was just a feeling though. Hopefully it was nothing.

"Three boys, one girl, one over 28 and 1 group. Those are the only acts remaining in the competition and tonight, two will find themselves in the final showdown and only one will survive. But before that, we welcome back a member of the X Factor family who I think it's fair to say hasn't done too badly for himself since being on the show. Olly Murs is going to be here!"

The crowd cheered and clapped.

"And from America, one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, Alicia Keys on this stage! First though, they all want to win but they all want to put on a great performance, which is exactly what they're about to do. Singing live and together… It's the X Factor finalists!"

**Union J:**

_Forgive me for what I have done_

_Cause I'm young_

_Yeah I'm young_

**Jahmene:**

_Forgive me for what I have done_

_Cause I'm young_

_Yeah I'm young_

**Rylan:**

_I don't mean to frighten you off_

_It's just fun_

_It's just fun_

**Christopher:**

_I don't mean to frighten you off_

_It's just fun_

_It's just fun_

**Ella:**

_We live on the edge of life_

_We don't even compromise_

_We rush because we're out of time_

**All:**

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

_I make mistakes that I learn from_

_Cause I'm young_

_Yeah I'm young_

**Finn:**

_I'm sorry I'm not even done_

_Cause I'm young_

_Yeah I'm young_

**Rylan:**

_Don't worry 'bout what I'll become_

_It's just fun_

_It's just fun_

**Union J:**

_I scream at the top of my lungs_

_It's just fun_

_It's just fun_

**All:**

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_'Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_Cause we're young_

_We're young_

_We're young_

**To see the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=tYc8P0bh6aA**

**Or search… "Young the X Factor 2012 Finalists"**

"One more time… the X Factor finalists!" Dermott exclaimed. "So, last night, the acts revealed their musical secrets with Guilty Pleasures. Now, let's have a quick chat with our X Factor judges. Gary, I have to tell you that 'Gary and Rylan' was trending on twitter last night. Are we witnessing the new 'Gary and Robbie (Williams)'?"

"Hey, you never know. I actually did notice yesterday it was great because I was there in my lovely suit and Rylan was dressed as Evil Keneivel."

"Haha. And Tulisa, we know that Ella is never truly happy with her performances but last night, she seemed a lot happier."

"Yeah, definitely." Tulisa said. "I mean, she's always nervous no matter how well she does but for me, last night was one of her best performances. I'm really proud of her."

"Nicole, if you get through tonight, you'll be the first X Factor judge to have all three acts in the Quarter finals. Are you feeling confident?"

"Well, it would be unbelievable if that happened. I feel like all three of my boys deserve to go through as they have done amazing jobs. I don't want to lose any of them."

"Speaking of losing…" Dermott said, turning to Louis. "How are you feeling this week, having lost one of your acts last week?"

"Um… my four guys have done everything. I just hope they're not in the bottom two tonight. They've done everything they could've possibly done. They're great to work with."

Dermott nodded and turned away from the judging table and towards the cameras once again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the X Factor judges!" He exclaimed. "And it's time for tonight's first guest. A member of the illustrious X Factor family who is no stranger to the cameras. He loves to talk as our cohost on the Xtra Factor, but we haven't heard him sing in a while. But the wait is over. Over 5 million records sold, 2 Double Platinum selling albums, 3 Number 1 Singles, with his new single Troublemaker, our very own Olly Murs!"

_You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down_

_The way you bite your lip got my head spinnin' around_

_After a drink or two I was putty in your hands_

_I don't know if I have the strength to stand_

_Trouble troublemaker, yeah_

_That's your middle name_

_I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain_

_And I wanna know_

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?_

_My mind keeps saying,_

_"Run as fast as you can."_

_I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker!_

_It's like you're always there in the corners of my mind_

_I see your silhouette every time I close my eyes_

_There must be poison in those finger tips of yours_

_'Cause I keep comin' back again for more_

_Trouble troublemaker, yeah_

_That's your middle name_

_I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain_

_And I wanna know_

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?_

_My mind keeps saying,_

_"Run as fast as you can."_

_I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker_

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad_

_My mind keeps saying,_

_"Run as fast as you can."_

_Troublemaker_

_I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker_

_Maybe I'm insane_

_'Cause I keep doing the same damn thing_

_Thinking one day we gon' change_

_But you know just how to work that back_

_And make me forget my name_

_What the hell you do I won't remember_

_I'll be gone until November_

_And you show up again next summer, yeah!_

_Typical middle name is Prada_

_Fit you like a glove, girl_

_I'm sick of the drama_

_You're a troublemaker_

_But damn girl it's like I love the trouble_

_And I can't even explain why_

_(Yeah!)_

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?_

_My mind keeps saying,_

_"Run as fast as you can."_

_Troublemaker_

_I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker_

_Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?_

_(And I can't even explain why)_

_My mind keeps saying,_

_"Run as fast as you can."_

_Troublemaker_

_I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back_

_I swear you're giving me a heart attack_

_Troublemaker_

"Olly Murs everyone!" Dermott said as Olly took his bow. "Mate, well done. Now I know you've been juggling production of this single with working with us on the Xtra Factor. That's must have been difficult, and you must have been nervous to perform right?"

"Yeah, it was kinda nerve wracking. But I love coming back, I love performing. It's great working as a cohost on the show, but I'm a singer… that's what I do. So it's a pleasure to be here and I'm having a good time."

"So Troublemaker, your new single, is out soon, right?"

"It's out right now actually." Olly informed him and the crowd. "So please, if you'd like to go get it."

"Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Olly Murs!"

Olly waved and walked off stage to the screams of every woman in the entire arena.

"All right, you have been voting for the past 24 hours on behalf of our acts and the judges. Thank you so much but lines are now CLOSED. Please don't call in now. There's not long to go until we find out who's in the bottom two. And it's time for our second guest. She is one of the most successful artists in the world who's been at the top of her game for over a decade, in a career our contestants can only dream of. 30 Million singles sold worldwide, 30 Million Albums sold, over 100 awards including 14 Grammys, with her new single Girl on Fire, please welcome the brilliant Alicia Keys!"

_She's just a girl and she's on fire_

_Hotter than a fantasy, lonely like a highway_

_She's living in a world and it's on fire_

_Filled with catastrophe, but she knows she can fly away_

_Ohhhh oh oh oh oh_

_She got both feet on the ground_

_And she's burning it down_

_Ohhhh oh oh oh oh_

_She got her head in the clouds_

_And she's not backing down_

_This girl is on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_She's walking on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_Looks like a girl, but she's a flame_

_So bright, she can burn your eyes_

_Better look the other way_

_You can try but you'll never forget her name_

_She's on top of the world_

_Hottest of the hottest girls say_

_Ohhhh oh oh oh_

_We got our feet on the ground_

_And we're burning it down_

_Ohhhh oh oh oh oh_

_Got our head in the clouds_

_And we're not coming down_

_This girl is on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_She's walking on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_Everybody stares, as she goes by_

_'Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes_

_Watch her as she's lighting up the night_

_Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl_

_And it's a lonely world_

_But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby_

_This girl is on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_She's walking on fire..._

_This girl is on fire..._

_Oh, oh, oh, oh ohhhhh oh oh oh ohhh oh oh oh ohhhh..._

_She's just a girl and she's on fire_

"Alicia Keys!" Dermott shouted over the roaring of the audience. "That was terrific. Your single's out now, when are you back here touring?"

"In May." She replied. "I can't wait to come back to the U.S and put on an incredible show."

"Well it's lovely having you here today. Give it up, one more time for Alicia Keys!"

Because she was more famous than Olly, Alicia got a much louder sendoff from the audience. It was almost deafening to hear all of the support she was getting from the fans.

"Three weeks until the final. All of our acts are within touching distance of that finishing line. And we know how important it is to them as we see them sing their hearts out on this stage every week. The lines are closed and the results of the public vote are now in. It is time to find out who is safe and who is not. Let's welcome back the judges and their acts! Tulisa and her one remaining girl… Ella!"

"Gary and the one remaining over 28… Christopher!"

"Louis and the one remaining group… Union J!"

"Nicole and the boys… Jahmene, Finn and Rylan!"

All four categories soundlessly took their places on stage, nervously waiting to announce the acts that were through. However, as usual, Dermott spoke very slowly to build the suspense.

"OK, it's time for the results." He said. "The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the four acts definitely going through to next week's show and the two who received the fewest votes will sing again in the final showdown. Good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Union J!"

Wait a minute, if Union J were through, provided Christopher went through, that would leave one of Jahmene, Finn and Ella in the bottom two. Please not me. Please not me, Finn said to himself.

"Also through to next week's show is… Rylan!"

Woah, woah woah! Rylan was through? That meant that unless Christopher was in the bottom two, two of Finn, Jahmene and Ella would be competing in the final showdown. That was a petrifying thought. Nicole exchanged a nervous glance with Finn and Jahmene who were standing on either side of her. All three of their minds were racing, all thinking the same thing. Which of them were going through? Chances were that at least one of them would be in the bottom two.

"The third act safe and definitely returning next week is… Christopher!"

OK, that's seriously fucked up. Christopher walked to the side of the stage to join the shellshocked competitors as they watched Finn, Jahmene and Ella shift around nervously on the stage. Nobody could have ever predicted that they would be standing in that predicament - one out of three of them going through and the other two in the final showdown. Stakes were high, especially for Tulisa. She knew that if Ella went up against either of the two guys, unless she absolutely nailed her save me song, she would be eliminated. This was because Finn had the vital backing of both Gary and Nicole, and Jahmene had the backing of Louis and Nicole. Ella, on the other hand, had the unconditional backing of Tulisa and… just Tulisa. But there was still hope for her if Dermott read her name out right now. That was unlikely though, with the caliber of competitors left on stage.

"Ella, Finn, Jahmene. The final act sealing their place in next week's show is… Ella!"

For the first time ever in the competition, Ella received booing from the audience. She was distraught, but not about that. Even though she was through, one of her closest friends was about to be eliminated. She looked at the stage… at the two boys who looked deathly pale, at Nicole who was extremely close to tears, and at the other competitors and judges who couldn't muster a word out.

"Well, as you can tell from the arena, it is a shock but after a quick 10 minute break, it's the final showdown. Finn verses Jahmene. Both from Nicole's boys category. It'll be up to the judges who goes through."


	111. Chapter 111

The cameras cut off shortly after and Finn and Jahmene only then started to truly come to terms with what was about to happen. One of them would be leaving the competition that night, and it was probably going to be one of the greatest showdowns in X Factor history. Never in the competition had they had the two competitors with the shortest odds on them compete against each other for survival in the bottom two. Finn walked off stage and away from everyone. He needed a moment to calm down. His mind was racing. As he walked off stage, he was followed by a couple of cameras - thankfully not reporters who were asking questions, just cameramen who were recording his reaction for the show. The problem was that Finn was already annoyed and that man was blocking his way.

"Move!" Finn demanded, dickishly. In the heat of anger, not caring that the man was just doing his job. Unfortunately, the guy didn't move. Finn shoved past him and walked off stage. TO be fair, his reaction wasn't any different to that of the other competitors and judges. Nicole was fully in tears now, and Gary was giving a quick statement to the cameras.

"I am in so much shock right now." Finn heard Gary said, simply. Gary couldn't bring himself to say anymore. Nobody could. They were all devastated about what had just happened, and they were all powerless to have stopped it. This was all the audience's fault and Finn and Jahmene were the ones having to suffer the consequences.

The rest of the contestants shuffled off stage shortly after Finn and headed for the green room. Many of them were in tears. The contestants, especially the one who were still in the competition at this point, had built a REALLY strong bond and it literally killed them to see the outrageous bottom two.

Finn walked down the corridor and just sat down in the corner to gather his thoughts. He was scared, to say the least. He was more scared than he had ever been in 7 years in the Army. Back then, the worst that could happen to him was death but now, the worst that could happen was going back to the bedsit in Lima without a record deal… and that was SO much worse! Finn could feel a bead of sweat roll down his cheek. He went through his save me song multiple times in head and on his third runthrough, he was interrupted by a voice.

"Finn?" Someone called. Finn immediately recognised the voice as Ella's so he stood up.

"Yeah? What?" He murmured. Rather than saying anything, Ella just hugged him tightly. Finn came so close to breaking down but he knew he couldn't as he was performing in a couple of minutes. The image of Lima was taking over his mind.

"You've got this, okay? We're all cheering for you." She said, when they released from their hug.

"Why? Jahmene's the better singer. You and I both know that. Is that what this competition's all about? Finding the best singer?"

"Finn, I think that that logic went out the window when Rylan and Christopher were voted through. You and Jahmene are two of the best contestants this competition has ever had. Both of you can undeniably sing. Now, it's going to just come down to who the judges like more and who they think will be more successful. Even though Jahmene's voice might slightly pip yours, the style and the way you sing is much more appealing to all of the judges except Louis, because he's old so he'll probably go with Jahmene. Provided Nicole doesn't vote, you'll win because Gary and Tulisa will probably vote for you. You have the capability to sell millions more records than Jahmene ever could. You just need to believe in yourself."

Finn nodded and took a deep breath. Ella was right. He could do this.

"Yeah, I can do this. I have to. I can't go back to that bedsit. I just can't."

"And you won't. All you have to do is kill the song." Ella said. Finn smiled and walked back towards the backstage area where he joined Jahmene. Both boys looked equally queasy.

"Dude, you ready for this?" Finn asked. Jahmene nervously shook his head.

"Are you kidding me? You are literally the last person I'd want to compete against in the sing off."

Finn laughed drily.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, dude."

As Finn and Jahmene stood backstage, they listened into the four judges' conversation as they were only standing a couple of feet away.

"I've been doing this for 9 years and I've never had a shock like that." Louis said, glumly.

"You know… Rylan's been saved twice in the sing off. Every week he's here, someone really talented is going to go home." Gary added, with no insult in his voice, just sad truth.

"I don't know what more we can do to save out acts." Tulisa murmured. "If those two boys are in the bottom two, no one is safe."

Nicole didn't say anything. She was still in shock. Before long, it was time for the 4 judges, Jahmene and Finn to walk back on stage. The judges sat down at their panel and Jahmene and Finn took center stage, their hands shaking slightly as they awaited Dermott's introduction.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back to the X Factor and what's safe to say one of the biggest shocks we've ever had on the results show. It's time for Jahmene to take on Finn in the final showdown. One personal song stands between them and survival or elimination. Singing first will be Jahmene so Finn, please come join me on the side of the stage."

Finn nodded and joined him as Jahmene prepared to begin singing. What made this showdown so scary was that both Finn and Jahmene's singing talent was so amazing that one bum note in their survival song would probably mean the end of their stay in the competition. Jahmene had gone big for his survival song: Let it Be by the Beatles. Nicole introduced Jahmene and the boy then started singing.

_When I find myself in times of trouble_

_Mother Mary comes to me_

_Speaking words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_And in my hour of darkness_

_She is standing right in front of me_

_Speaking words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be_

_Whisper words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_And when the broken-hearted people_

_Living in the world agree_

_There will be an answer_

_Let it be_

_For though they may be parted there is_

_Still a chance that they will see_

_There will be an answer_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be_

_Yeah, there will be an answer_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be_

_Whisper words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be_

_Whisper words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_And when the night is cloudy_

_There is still a light that shines on me_

_Shine until tomorrow_

_Let it be_

_I wake up to the sound of music_

_Mother Mary comes to me_

_Speaking words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be_

_There will be an answer_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be_

_There will be an answer_

_Let it be_

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be_

_Whisper words of wisdom_

_Let it be_

Jahmene had killed the song. It was a VERY tough act for Finn to follow. In fact, Finn might as well have packed his bags then and there. Jahmene had chosen a much more popular song and made a much better cover of his song than Finn made of his. After all, Finn didn't even have a backing track. He was just singing with his acoustic guitar.

"One more time, give it up for Jahmene!" Dermott exclaimed. "Finn, take your place please mate."

Finn and Jahmene switched places so that Finn was at the mic stand and Jahmene was standing next to Dermott.

"Nicole, introduce your other act please." Demott asked. Nicole took a deep breath and nodded.

"One of the greatest artists and talents ever to grace this stage. I'm so proud of him. This is Finn fucking Hudson!"

Uh oh. This was a family show. Swearing live on TV was undeniably going to have a backlash. Nicole didn't care though. She was still so wrapped up in her emotions. Her two best boys were competing against each other and by the end of the night, one of them would be going home. Both guys also needed a record deal so badly and whoever made it further in the competition was more likely to get one.

Finn decided to sing one of his favourite old school songs: McFly's Shine a Light. He was singing an acoustic, stripped back version. He took a deep breath and began strumming his guitar.

_Tell me are you feeling strong_

_Strong enough to love someone_

_And make it through the hardest storm_

_And bad weather_

_Will you pull me from the flames_

_Hold me till I feel no pain_

_And give me shelter from the rain_

_Forever_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Tell me can you hear my voice_

_Loud and clear above the noise_

_And even if I had the choice_

_I would not give up_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

**To hear the actual version of the song, click:**

**watch?v=ipF0w2t_k2M**

**Or search… "Niall Horan- McFly cover - Shine a Light" and click the one that is an Instagram video.**

Although the quality of the song was nowhere near as high as Jahmene's, and Finn's singing technique wasn't quite as good as Jahmene's, Finn had more emotion and soul than Jahmene could even dream of having. That was Finn's one lifeline in the competition.

"Well done Jahmene and Finn." Dermott said. "So… they have done everything they can. Only one of them can return to sing again next week. One of them is unbelievably leaving the competition tonight. That decision is in the hands of Louis, Tulisa, Gary and Nicole. I'll ask each of them who they want to send home tonight. In the event of a tie, we go to deadlock and we revert to the earlier public vote. Judges… it is time to judge and I need an answer. Nicole, coming to you first. The name of the act you're voting to send home."

"Can I just say? This is exactly what we judges were talking about when we said that people are voting for the wrong people. These two guys should be finalists. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" She shouted, enraged. Everyone was shocked. They had never really seen Nicole mad before: normally she was very laid back and relaxed. "It's because people at home are not voting for the person that they want to save. They're sitting back and thinking they're safe but they're not. My decision is obvious. I'M NOT VOTING!"

Dermott nodded. That was expected. It was a hard enough decision for the other judges, but for the mentor of both acts… it would be damn near impossible.

"Tulisa, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"No matter what happens tonight, it will be a great tragedy for this show because you two are are some of the most talented people to ever set foot on that stage. Jahmene, you are meant for the stars, but I have to stick with Finn. Both of you have world-class voices but the style of music that Finn sings is more relatable to me and it touches something right in my heart. So the act I'm sending home is Jahmene."

1-0 Finn. This was good, but it could turn around very quickly.

"Louis, coming to you next. If you opt to send Jahmene home, he goes home. If you opt to send Finn home, Gary's vote will be the deciding vote. Louis, the name of the act you're sending home please."

"Dermott, I'm in shock. I thought these two were finalists and I hate seeing everyone so upset. All of us: the judges, the contestants, the producers… we're heartbroken. We don't want to lose either of you. However, we have to send somebody home, but it's going to be so hard! Jahmene, you have so much potential, so much more to give in this competition. Finn, you're amazing, I think you're a ready made act for a record deal. But I have to send somebody home and the person I'm sending home is Finn. I'm really sorry."

1-1. With millions of angry people watching both in person and on TV, it was now up to Gary to decide who goes home.

"OK, Gary, here's the situation. If you opt to send Finn home, he goes home but if you opt to send Jahmene home, he goes home. There is no chance of a deadlock now. Whoever you vote for is going home."

"Well finally it's serious." Gary said. "You know? Listen, everyone in the audience and those watching on TV… we are voting for the best singers here every week. That's what this is. It's a singing competition. I always knew it was going to come to this. The flashing lights, the dancing, the staging, we've got to put that all behind us at this point. It's about the vocals, and these two gentlemen are two of the best vocalists in this competition's history. But Finn, I've been right behind you from the word go so the act I'm sending home is Jahmene."

"Congratulations Finn. We'll see you next week. Please join the other competitors backstage. Jahmene, please stay here for your exit interview."

Finn let out a huge sigh of relief. It was like a ton of lead had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt like dancing and skipping around oy but he couldn't. Not while he was on National TV and his friend was distraught beside him. Finn hugged Jahmene before walking off stage to join the others.

Once he was off stage, his brief happiness had turned to anger. He had just ended the dreams of one of his closest friends in the competition. Finn turned away from the greenroom and instead decided to go outside to clear his mind.


	112. Chapter 112

Finn stormed out of the arena, enraged. He needed to get away from the competition. It was eating him alive. It was like he was eating, sleeping and breathing X Factor. Every action in the past few months had been something to do with the X Factor and Finn needed a night to himself. Pulling his hoodie up so he wouldn't be recognised, he began to walk.

He walked all through Manhattan. Probably not the smartest idea given that he was alone and it was 10 pm but he didn't care. Muggers were literally like bees to Finn now - annoying but not at all scary. Finn didn't know where he was going or how long he was going for. He just needed a night with nothing to do with the competition on his mind.

Two hours later, Finn found himself crossing the East River on a bridge into Brooklyn. He knew where he was but he had no idea what destination he was walking towards. He decided to just walk in a huge circle, crossing through both Brooklyn and east of Queens before looping back around into Manhattan. Suddenly, he heard his phone buzz so he took it out of his pocket. His eyes widened. He had so many unread messages!

 **21:49 Nicole:** hey Finn, where u at?

 **22:53 Ella:** R u ok?

 **22:54 Rylan:** Finn! This isn't funny! Where r u?

 **22:59 Jahmene:** Yo Finn. If this is about eliminating me, NO HARD FEELINGS! I love u bro. Just come back

 **23:09 Nicole:** Dude, we're all worried about you! We're gonna call the police!

At the last one, Finn almost dropped his phone. He quickly typed out a response.

**DON'T CALL THE POLICE! I'm fine, don't worry. I just needed to get away from the competition for a night. I'll be back by tomorrow morning to begin work on next week's performances.**

**Finn**

At that, Finn turned off his phone and began to continue walking. Now that Nicole knew that he was safe, he didn't have to worry about the competition until the next morning. Finn walked in the brisk evening air. The roads were practically empty - only the occasional car driving past. Although Finn wasn't scared of muggers, he stuck to main roads as it was almost midnight.

Up ahead, he spied a young woman - probably in her mid 20s - rummaging through her handbag, her eyes not on the street ahead. He watched as she approached the pedestrian crossing, not looking up at the road. She was wearing earbuds so she couldn't hear the sound of the oncoming car. Finn picked up the pace slightly. The car was about 10 seconds away. It was going to hit her! Finn started to run. The driver of the car was on the phone and the woman was rummaging through her bag so neither of them were aware of each other's presence. The car was just seconds away from the girl and the driver still hadn't noticed her. Finn was right there at this point. Without hesitation, he ran into the middle of the street, onto the pedestrian crossing, and in the absolute nick of the car, managed to shove the woman out of the way of the speeding car.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

**An hour Earlier**

Bella banged her head against her desk, frustratedly. She had her end-of-year patient files to update in the dental clinic she worked at. She loved her job as a children's dentist so much but this part of the job, she hated.

To make it even harder, she was constantly getting distracted by the X Factor, which was streaming on her laptop. She was hooked to the show because she loved watching the various competitors… well, really just one competitor. She watched in shock and horror as Finn and Jahmene were announced in the bottom two, and in fascination as Jahmene put on his epic performance. She wanted Finn to win, of course, but she didn't know what he could possibly do to overcome Jahmene's thrilling performance. When Finn sang Shine a Light, tears sprang to Bella's eyes. She thought back to highschool: that song was Finn's favourite during senior year, and she remembered him singing it countless times while in the shower, driving or even just relaxing and lounging around.

"Damn it." Bella murmured as she sniffled and blew her nose into a tissue before wiping her eyes. There was no way she was going to get any work done now. It was 10 at night anyways and she wanted to get some sleep before the next day.

Bella walked out of the clinic at around 10:15 and suddenly realised something… she left her apartment key in the office. Sighing, Bella walked back into the office and spent the next hour scouring around her office for the key, but to no success. Maybe she left them at home? Bella thought. Quinn was at home anyways so she could let her in. Bella left the building again, slightly annoyed. As she walked home, she dug through her bag. Where were the damn keys? She was so engrossed in her search that she didn't even notice the approaching car. When she finally looked up, it was too late. The car was going to hit her! Bella braced herself for himself but the blow never came. At least to her…

She felt herself get slammed into. HARD. But strangely, not from the car. She was sent flying across the pedestrian crossing and onto the sidewalk on the other side of the street. She immediately scrambled to her feet and spun around, in time to see the man who evidently saved her roll over the car and fall, motionless, on the road. The car purely just sped off, supposedly oblivious to the fact that it just ran over someone. Bella watched the man who saved her limp back to the sidewalk on the other side of the street, not yet standing… just sitting and leaning against a fire hydrant. The feeling of shock that Bella was overcome with slowly wore off and she regathered her senses before sprinting over to him.

"SIR! SIR! I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She asked. The man slowly stood up and nodded.

"I'm fine." He groaned.

"Th… th… thank you. You saved my life." She whispered. The man, who hadn't yet taken down the hood of his hoodie, or even looked up at her yet, merely shrugged. It was at that moment that he finally looked up at her. She couldn't see him but he saw her and when he did, it was like he had been burnt. He stumbled backwards and was about to walk away when she called him.

"WAIT!" She cried. "You saved my life. Can I at least see your face and thank you?"

The mystery man turned back towards her and shook his head. There was something vaguely familiar about the gentlemen - it was like they had met at some point in the past. Rather than removing his hood, he held out a hand for her to shake, keeping his face firmly out of vision. Bella reluctantly accepted merely shaking the man's hand. But a handshake was all she needed to identify him. The second their hands touched, she felt a spark. A spark that only one man could possibly create: Finn.

As quickly as their hands came together, they released.

"F… F… Finn?" She stammered. Finn turned around and sprinted away like he had been scorched. Bella tried to run after him for a brief while before watching him disappear into the night. She knew for sure it was Finn. She had just come inches away from the elusive yet celebrity love of her life. Had he recognised her? Well, of course he had! He acted like he had just seen a ghost when he saw her.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

When Finn stumbled to his feet, he was slightly dazed. Thankfully, as the car approached him, he jumped and rolled over the hood of the car, creating minimal impact. He knew that with the speed the car was going, if he had taken the hit, his insides would be all over the street. He was vaguely aware of the girl, who he still didn't know who she was, ran over to him. She apologised to him profusely and Finn shrugged. He didn't really care about apologies and thanks. It was just the right thing to do.

When he stood up, he got a look at her face and when he did, he nearly passed out.

It was Bella! In the flesh. She looked even more beautiful than she did 3 years ago. Finn had to keep it cool. Maybe she hadn't recognised him. He turned around to run away but before he could succeed, she asked him back to thank him. While all Finn wanted to do was run full pelt out of there, he forced himself not to be rude. He obviously wasn't about to pull his hood down and reveal himself but he held out a hand as if offering a formal handshake. A little bit taken aback, Bella took his hand and when they shook hands, Finn realised his mistake.

He felt a tingle of energy when their hands touched and judging by her expression, she felt it too and knew it was him. Finn didn't waste any time. He spun around and hurled himself down the street like a whirlwind on flat land. He vaguely recalled Bella chasing after him for a moment, but he was easily faster than her and he pulled away further and further with every step. He glanced behind him and when he watched her finally come to a halt, he slowed back down to a brisk walk. That was close! Although he wanted nothing more than to be with Bella, he had burnt that bridge in his life 3 years ago. Hell, he had nuked it. He couldn't afford going back now and hurting her even more. What if she already had a boyfriend? For all Finn knew, since he last saw her, she could have married someone else. Now, Finn was actually thankful for the traumatic competition. At least it gave him something to think about and distract himself with. No more thinking about Bella until at least after the competition!


	113. Chapter 113

After making it a decent distance away from Bella, Finn slowed to a walk. Although his feet were slower, his mind was still racing at a million miles an hour. He forced himself to stop and sit on a bench for almost half an hour, just breathing in and out. To the very few people still on the streets of Brooklyn at midnight, Finn would have looked extremely suspicious and people would have probably thought he was smoking, but he didn't care. After a while, he finally calmed down enough to get back up and continue his walk. He cut all the way through Brooklyn and then Queens, before finally cutting back into Manhattan through the Queen's midtown Tunnel. It was a very shady tunnel with multiple homeless people living in the shelter, but nobody dared mess with him. Something that Finn learnt as an formerly homeless person himself was that homeless people were able to tell who and who not to mess with, just by looking at them.

Once Finn was back in Manhattan, he checked his watch. It was nearly 6 am. He smiled. He had spent the whole night with his mind off the competition and now, he was refreshed and ready to kiss some serious ass in round 8. He wasn't about to be the guy who eliminated the favourite of the competition but gets eliminated himself the week after. Besides, this week and next week, the acts would be performing two songs rather than one. Double the effort, double the hard work. An hour later, he had arrived back at the hotel. Because it was almost 7 am, Finn only had time to have a quick shower and grab a bite to eat before heading to the studio to begin work. He entered the studio at 8 on the dot, and Nicole was already there when he walked in. The minute he walked in, she ran over and grabbed him into a tight hug. Finn groaned in pain. His left elbow was still aching in pain from when he hit the ground after rolling over the car.

"Finn! Where were you last night? We were so worried! Rylan said you didn't come back to your room! What happened? Are you hurt?" Nicole asked so many questions in fast succession.

"I didn't come back until like an hour ago. I just went for a walk." He said, simply. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"A walk? All night?" She asked incredulously. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I actually left Manhattan. I went across to Brooklyn, then Queens, then back across to Manhattan, then back to the hotel. As for did I get hurt? Yeah, kinda. Not really. I got hit by a car. Not a big deal. It's just my elbow kind of hurts from where I hit the ground. Nothing I haven't felt before. Let's get to work."

"HOLD ON! YOU GOT HIT BY A CAR?" She exclaimed. Finn shrugged.

"Kind of. A pedestrian was crossing the road and she was digging through her bag and was going to get hit by a car. I shoved her out the way and then I ended up rolling over the top of the car. When I landed, I shoulder rolled to reduce impact and my elbow hit the ground. It's not permanently damaged. Just a bad bruise. Can we please get to work?" Finn asked. Nicole sighed. She knew that she probably wouldn't get any more answers from him than that so she decided to just get to work.

"Can I just say? I'm so happy you're still here. Like I'm really sad to lose Jahmene but at least I still have you and Rylan."

"I know, I'm over the moon. I can't believe it. That sing off last night was really tough. I genuinely thought I was gone. When I saw Ella and Jahmene with me as the last three, I was like I might as well pack my bags now. I didn't expect to have to go up against someone like Jahmene."

Finn put his head in his hands.

"I'm just distraught." He said. "I'm so happy to still be here but I never wanted it to be at the expense of someone as great as Jahmene."

"People vote." Nicole sighed and said. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, people voted and they didn't vote for us." Finn said. Nicole knew what he was thinking about. Frankly, she was too. Christopher submitting almost 500 dollars worth of votes each week was hardly fair, and it left better competitors such as Finn and Jahmene in the bottom two.

"Now you're in so this gives them a chance to vote for you." She said.

"Exactly, and I want it more than ever now. I want to be in the final, I want to be winning the whole thing. I kinda want to do it for him in a way as well because I think he deserves to be there with me. It has definitely reinvigorated me."

"I really want to ask. What was it like when you had your first audition on the show?" Nicole asked. Finn sighed. Almost 6 months ago, during the time of his first audition, he was in a much worse emotional and mental state.

"Um… the day before the auditions in Lima, the bartender at the bar I was singing at told me about it and tried to get me to do it. I said no."

"Right. You don't seem like the typical contestant for the show to have." Nicole pointed out.

"Yeah." Finn agreed. "The X Factor wasn't exactly something I ever imagined myself doing. I was short on a bar tab and I needed the bartender to spot me and he offered me free drinks for a week if I went to that mobile audition fan and sang for them. That's literally the only reason I auditioned. Then I actually did well, I jumped on a train to Manhattan a month later and managed to get this far so there's a real sense of achievement for me on a personal level."

"Right, I was just wondering. Anyways, let's get started! Two songs this week. One Motown song and one Movie song. Which would you like to start with?"

"Um… let's go with the Movie song because I actually have some ideas for that one." He said.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" She asked. Finn told her his preferred song choice.

"I mean I have full belief in you so let's do it. But it seems really different for you. You haven't sang a real big ballad before."

"Yeah, you know, it's the perfect time to do it. I've just been in the bottom two and I need to come out fighting."

"Well, just don't suck." Nicole said, simply. Finn laughed.

"Gee, thanks." He replied, rolling his eyes. Nicole laughed and the two of them spent the rest of the day creating an absolutely gorgeous cover of the movie ballad. Around 10 hours later, at 6 pm, they finally finished and Finn performed the complete song. Nicole and Rylan, who were sitting in the studio, clapped and cheered when he finished singing.

"I love it! It's so different!" She exclaimed. Finn nodded.

"Thanks." He replied. "I'm not going to do it the way it's traditionally done. I love seeing people look at me and go 'really?'."

"Yeah, it's delicate. This is the most vulnerable you've ever put yourself. It's beautiful."

"Thanks. I just hope the audience thinks so too."

"They will. You are taking the song, and turning it into the Finn Hudson experience." She said. "And besides, the cream always rises to the top. No offense, Rylan." She added. Rylan raised an eyebrow.

"You know I wasn't offended until you said that!" He exclaimed, laughing. "But honestly, she's right. That was sick, dude."

"Thanks." Finn said and then he yawned massively. "I've had a long 48 hours and I haven't slept at all. Could I please wrap up early tonight. I'll be back really early tomorrow."

"Sure, no problem."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next morning, Finn was back in the studio, bright eyed and bushy tailed, despite the fact that it was 7 in the morning and most of Manhattan were only just waking up.

"Hey Finn." Nicole said as he walked in.

"Hey." Finn replied, sitting down next to Nicole on the comfortable sofa.

"So, what I want to do now is I want to go back to week 1 and I want you to see how much you've grown." She explained, putting a Samsung Tablet in front of him. On screen was his first performance - Dream On. It seemed like so long ago! At the time, it had seemed like a great performance for him but now, looking back, he realised how awful it really was and if he performed something of that caliber this week, he would probably be in the bottom two.

"Well that wasn't great." Finn commented when the video finished. Nicole laughed.

"You know, when I first heard it, I thought it sounded like you were just doing a normal karaoke version of Dream On by Aerosmith."

"It definitely wasn't my favourite performance." He agreed.

"Yeah, I was like let's get through this week and let's go back to the roots."

"Yup, so not my best. At least we know that there was room for growth. My next performance was No More Drama, right?"

Nicole nodded and she played that video on the tablet. Although Finn tried to think back to his performance that day, all he could remember was being taken to hospital right after for his heart attack.

"You were just so passionate that you actually lost yourself in the music. This was your most deep, passionate, intense performance in my opinion."

"Yeah." Finn agreed. "No More Drama. Funny… that ended in quite a bit of drama, huh?"

"No kidding." Nicole replied. "That was crazy!"

The next performance was his cover of Sexy and I Know It. Nicole paused the video in a frame of Finn winking at the camera.

"Look at you flirting with the camera!" She teased. Finn laughed.

"You know, this was the most fun I've had in any performance yet. Especially with all those dancers." Finn said.

"No one can say we played it safe on this show."

"It's good that we have the chance to do two songs this week. It'll give people a contrast between the two."

Nicole nodded. Her thought cogs in her brain were whirring. She had such a good idea for Finn for his Motown number.

"Wait, so you said Sexy and I Know It was your favourite?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, that and the halloween number. Why?" He asked, curious.

"Well, I think I've found a song for you. It's similar but not similar. The songs themselves are a million miles apart, but both of them are going to involve a bit of flirting on your part. We can add some dancers around you again. What do you think?"

Finn smiled.

"That sounds great. Which song did you have in mind?"

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An hour later, Finn's song choice was finalised. He was going to be singing Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. It was the kind of song someone would put on if they wanted to get laid. Nobody had really heard his falsetto vocals in the competition so far so hopefully that would be a highlight of the song. Both him and Nicole agreed that it would show the full extent of his vocal abilities.

He had his two songs confirmed now. Nicole's job was pretty much done for the week. It was up to Finn to put on a great performance and he wasn't about to be put in the bottom two again.


	114. Chapter 114

Soon, it was Friday morning and Finn was more than ready for his performance the next day. In fact, he was so ready that he even was taking the afternoon off as he had a TV segment with a huge radio station called Radio 1. This was not only a fun activity, but it would also drum up some support from the fans in the voting the next day.

Finn was told to dress casually for the afternoon so he put on a simple pair of jeans and cotton button down, with a navy coat. One of the great things about the X Factor was that he never needed to spend too long on his hair as he got a haircut right before every performance so his hair never grew too long. At 2 pm, Finn was at the Radio 1 studio with his guitar case in hand, as asked. He was invited in and the inside of the studio was very strange. It was a hairdresser's studio, however it had microphones and cameras that showed that it was meant to be a set for a TV segment. Finn turned to the producer and raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Finn asked the man. He shook his head and smiled.

"You'll find out in a second."

Finn did. Sure enough, soon, Finn was called to sit down in the chair and the host of the show - Nicholas Grimmy - came and sat next to him. After quick off-camera introductions between them, Nicholas told Finn what was going to happen. He was in a makeup studio because the makeup artists were going to completely disguise him so that he was unrecognisable to the public, and then he was going to go to Grand Central Station and perform a couple of songs as a free busker to see how much money he could earn. The segment was called Secret Busker, and it officially started shortly after.

"Hello, it's Grimmy here. This is Secret Busker… where we take a huge pop star, take them off of a proper stage and throw them onto the mean streets of NYC and ask them to be a secret busker. He will be donning a cunning disguise and the public will have no idea it's actually Finn Hudson. He will be competing against 3 of the Radio 1 Buskers. Highest earner in 3 songs wins. Hello Finn Hudson. How are you doing?"

"I'm good." Finn replied.

"Are you ready for this?" Grimmy asked.

"So ready. I have more experience busking on the streets than whoever I'm up against."

"OK, let's do it. Shall we do this then? You're going to be in prosthetics for seven hours."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? Just the seven?" He joked, nervously.

"Nah, just two which is still horrendous."

"Yeah, that's horrible. I can't wait/wish it was quicker." Finn laughed. The next 2 hours were spent with Finn in the makeup chair having his face completely remade into an elderly man with very long hair and a beard. Around an hour and 50 minutes, Grimmy tiptoed back into the building and sat behind Finn, waiting to roll the cameras before looking at him for the first time. The cameras then started rolling again and Grimmy started talking.

"Okay, so I snuck back in here and I'm yet to see Finn Hudson's new look as he becomes a secret busker. It's time to reveal him to me and the world. Let's have a look at you, Finn Hudson!"

Finn spun around in his chair so he would face the cameras. He looked grotesque, but the makeup artists had done a great job! He had curly silver hair on both his beard and hair, his nose was almost an inch longer than normal, his forehead looked bigger, his face had a mask on it so he had more wrinkles. All in all, just your typical elderly man.

"Ew!" Grimmy exclaimed.

"How are you doing?" Finn asked, speaking in a VERY exaggerated Scottish accent.

"I don't know if I like this Finn if I'm honest." Grimmy laughed.

"I think it's brilliant. I'm ready." Finn stated in the same strong scottish accent.

"It's incredible. Like that does not look like you. It's freaking me out!" Grimmy exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"It doesn't, does it? I look so weird" Finn commented, dropping the accent temporarily.

"It's even weirder when you do your actual voice!" Grimmy said.

"I know, I've gotta stay in character." Finn replied, bringing back the accent.

"As? What's your name?" Grimmy asked.

"I'm Willie. Willie McNulty." Finn said, randomly thinking of a scottish name off the top of his head.

"Should we do this?" Grimmy asked.

"Let's do it." Finn replied.

The cameras cut and stayed off as Finn, Nicole and the cameramen were driven to Grand Central Station where he would be performing to the hopefully oblivious public.

"So we've finally arrived at Grand Central Station with big Willie McNulty where we are just in time to watch our Radio One Buskers' start their third and final song." Grimmy told the cameras. Finn watched as the three professional buskers performed their final number. Although these kind of buskers were good, they lacked the desperation and need in their voices that actual buskers had and that was what made buskers like Finn in the past better, in his opinion. After the three buskers finished, Grimmy turned on the camera for the final statement before Finn would be sent downstairs to the main floor of the station, where he would be performing.

"Okay, we are here in position. Finn is in disguise as Willie." Grimmy informed the cameras.

"Hey." Finn said, practising his heavy scottish accent.

"And his competition is down there right now finishing their last song of their three song set. Finn, how do you think they're getting on?"

"They're all right." Finn replied. "I'm better though, aren't I?" Finn's accent was getting stronger and stronger, which meant it was getting worse and worse.

"I really hate your alias!" Grimmy laughed. "Once they're done, we're gonna get Finn to sing three songs. Whoever makes the most money, wins. If you don't win, this is going to be terribly embarrassing for you."

"There's no chance. I'm gonna win." Finn said, growing into his scottish accent. The radio 1 buskers had just finished their set and Finn made his way downstairs as the radio 1 buskers made their way up. Finn already knew what he was going to sing so he was pretty relaxed. He didn't know how much the other buskers had earnt, so it was going to be tough.

"Finally, it's time for big Willie McNulty to take to the stage with the lofty target of 40.04 dollars." Grimmy told the cameras as Finn began strumming his guitar. As he strummed the opening riff, he spoke to the public in his heavy accent.

"Hey everyone. Please, if you can, spare me some change."

_Oohh...ah_

_When I walk on by, girls be looking like ''oh, he's fly!''_

_And I'll pimp to the beat, walking on street in my new la freak, yeah!_

_This is how I roll, animal print pants out of control_

_It's a Red Foo with a big afro and just like Bruce Lee, rock out the club_

_Oh! oh! girl! look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, this is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, show it, show it, show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh, i'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh.. yeah!_

_When I'm at the mall, security just can't find them all_

_When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo, trying to tan my cheeks,yeah_

_And this is how I roll. Come on ladies, It's time to go_

_We headed to bar, Baby, don't be nervous_

_No shoes, no shirt, I still get service!_

_Oh, oh girl, look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, This is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, Show it, Show it, Show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

At the end of the first song, people were starting to crowd around him. They had the feeling that this was no ordinary busker and anyone who watched the X Factor pretty much knew who he was. But for some reason, despite all of the people around him, he had barely earned any money. Finn ignored it though and went straight through to his next song.

"One song down and I don't think Willie's scottish accent is fooling anyone." Grimmy told the cameras. "There's quite a big crowd but no one wants to give him any money. They like it, just not that much, I guess."

_Tell me are you feeling strong_

_Strong enough to love someone_

_And make it through the hardest storm_

_And bad weather_

_Will you pull me from the flames_

_Hold me till I feel no pain_

_And give me shelter from the rain_

_Forever_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Tell me can you hear my voice_

_Loud and clear above the noise_

_And even if I had the choice_

_I would not give up_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

By the end of his 'Save Me' song, the crowds had truly started to form. The money was also coming in thick and fast. At this point, almost everyone knew it was him. After all, he had sang that song live less than 6 days ago.

"After Shine A Light, the crowds are gathering and the money is finally coming in." Grimmy said. "It's almost like they had worked out that there was a pop star performing their survival song right in front of them!"

At the end of the song, Finn started to speak into the mic once again.

"Hey everyone. My name's Willie McNulty."

He heard a lot of laughs at this one. They obviously all knew it was him, but he had to keep the act up.

"I'm just playing a few songs covered by X Factor contestant Finn Hudson. I think he's very good, and you all should vote for him on Saturday."

The hundreds of astonished people in Grand Central Station were all standing around, enjoying the show. Finn had one more song, and he was going with a One Direction song.

_I might never be your knight in shining armour_

_I might never be the one you take home to mother_

_And I might never be the one who brings you flowers_

_But I can be the one, be the one tonight_

_When I first saw you_

_From across the room_

_I could tell that you were curious_

_Oh, yeah_

_Girl, I hope you're sure_

_What you're looking for_

_'Cause I'm not good at making promises_

_But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_Then baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Then baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

_I might never be the hands you put your heart in_

_Or the arms that hold you any time you want them_

_But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment_

_'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time_

_When I first saw you_

_From across the room_

_I could tell that you were curious_

_Oh, yeah_

_Girl, I hope you're sure_

_What you're looking for_

_'Cause I'm not good at making promises_

_But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_Then baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Then baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

_And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out_

_Oh, yeah_

_And if you're looking for someone to write your break-up songs about_

_Baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, we're perfect_

_If you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms_

_And if you like having secret little rendezvous_

_If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do_

_Then baby, I'm perfect_

_Baby, I'm perfect for you_

_And if you like midnight driving with the windows down_

_And if you like going places we can't even pronounce_

_If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about_

_Then baby, you're perfect_

_Baby, you're perfect_

_So let's start right now_

"Thank you." Finn said to the applause of the whole crowd. He spied Grimmy standing at the top floor of the station, speaking to the cameras and gesturing for him to come over. Finn ducked his head and inconspicuously made his way to the top floor of the station to join Grimmy and the other buskers to find out who won.

"It's time for Willie McNulty to make a swift exit as, let's face it, his cover had been blown. Everyone knew it was Finn Hudson." Grimmy told the cameras. Sure enough, Finn could already feel his phone in his pocket blowing up with tweets and tags on Instagram. Finn quickly made it to the Radio One personnel so they could finish the segment.

"Who is going to take the busking crown. It's time to find out." Grimmy said. "OK, here we go. After the end of their busking set, the Radio One buskers made, which is very good going, 40.04 dollars."

Finn wolf whistled. That was quite a lot of money for just 3 songs.

"Finn, do you think you've done better or worse?" Grimmy asked.

"I don't know." Finn replied, honestly.

"They got a full 20 dollar bill." Grimmy remarked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"They got a full 20 bucks. Wow." He said. "Yeah, I don't know. I was in the zone. I don't really remember people putting money in my case. I saw a little boy put some in at some point but that's really all I remember."

"Well, they got $40.04. You, Finn Hudson, got $52.12 which makes you the winner!"

"Whoo!" Finn exclaimed. He shook hands with the three buskers and signed autographs for them, upon their request. That evening, he went back to the hotel with his mind at ease. What he loved so much about these segments, especially ones on Friday night, was that they distracted his mind from the nerve wracking performance the next day. He was able to rest easily that night, and he slept soundly. It had been a big day, but the next day would be colossal…


	115. Chapter 115

"Welcome back to the X Factor, your Saturday night starts right here!" Dermott exclaimed. It was Saturday evening already. The weeks were so busy now that they seemed to be flying by. "We are live on ITV 1. After last week, the shockwaves are still reverberating around here. The message is clear: No one is safe. We started out these live shows with twelves. Week by week, the acts started to drop out of the competition, culminating in last week's shock elimination of Jahmene. Now, just 5 acts remain and they are going to have to be right on their game because tonight, we are upping the ante. It's the Quarter finals and each act is going to perform two songs. One motown classic and one movie classic. It's Movies vs Motown!"

The crowd cheered and clapped.

"Now, time to meet a couple of musical super troopers. It's the X Factor judges!"

The four judges walked to their familiar judging table. None of them had yet gotten over the shock from last week.

"There they go. Ready to come down heavily on any musical crimes tonight. Two songs each, which means twice as much fun. Make sure to vote for your favourite acts and you can do that starting from… NOW! Lines are now open. Now, let's go have a quick chat with the judges.

Dermott walked over to the judges' table, where the four judges were sitting and waiting eagerly for the acts to begin their performances.

"So, Gary, coming to you first, what on earth happened last week?" Dermott asked.

"I'm in shock. I'm genuinely shocked. It shows how important it is to vote for your favourite act. I've met a lot of people this past week who have said to me 'I can't believe it's Jahmene.' I asked them if they voted for Jahmene. They said no."

"Yeah, I've never seen an atmosphere like that before. And Nicole, sadly, one less incredible act in the competition. How will it affect you and your boys moving forward?"

"Well, you know, we were in shock. Finn and Jahmene were very close so that was a particularly hard pill for Finn to swallow - having eliminated Jahmene himself. But I think both of my remaining boys just want to win even more now."

"OK, thank you so much. Ladies and Gentlemen… the X Factor judges! So, the first theme up tonight is movie songs. We are starting with one of Nicole's boys. This is Rylan Clark!"

Rylan opened the show with probably his best performance of the series. He sang The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman - the same movie that Finn was singing from, but a polar opposite song choice. The judges were torn about his performance. On one hand, he did produce his best performance of the series, but on the other hand, they were so far in the competition and the competition was, at the end of the day, a singing competition so every week Rylan stayed, an amazing act like Jahmene was eliminated.

Union J went next, with again, one of their best performances of the series. They sang a classic movie song: Circle of Life from the Lion King. They let their vocals run the performance, not the gimmicks and dancing. The staging was simple. It was just them and their voices. After the shock elimination last week, Union J worked ten times harder this week and their hard work paid off, at least for the first song.

Ella was third, and of course, she was incredible. Like for every other competitor, Jahmene's exit last week had shown her that nobody was guaranteed a spot in the competition and it was up to her to earn her place. She had experienced such amazing things while on the X Factor and she did feel that with each week, she was growing a bit more, not only as a competition, but as a person as well. She went with I'll Never Love Again from A Star is Born - a perfect ballad for her vocal range. It was stripped back and emphasised her gorgeous vocals.

Finn was fourth on programme and he was extremely nervous about his performance. It was so different to his usual performances! But then again, if he was the bottom two last week then maybe a change was just what the doctor ordered. Finn didn't need his guitar for either performance today and he walked over to the backstage area.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the other of my two boys left in the competition. I am so, so thankful he's still in the competition. This is Finn Hudson!" Nicole exclaimed.

_I'm tryin' to hold my breath_

_Let it stay this way_

_Can't let this moment end_

_You set off a dream in me_

_Gettin' louder now_

_Can you hear it echoing?_

_Take my hand_

_Will you share this with me?_

_'Cause darling without you_

_All the shine of a thousand spotlights_

_All the stars we steal from the night sky_

_Will never be enough_

_Never be enough_

_Towers of gold are still too little_

_These hands could hold the world but it'll_

_Never be enough_

_Never be enough_

_For me_

_Never, never_

_Never, never_

_Never, for me_

_For me_

_Never enough_

_Never enough_

_Never enough_

_For me_

_For me_

_For me_

_All the shine of a thousand spotlights_

_All the stars we steal from the night sky_

_Will never be enough_

_Never be enough_

_Towers of gold are still too little_

_These hands could hold the world but it'll_

_Never be enough_

_Never be enough_

_For me_

_Never, never_

_Never, never_

_Never, for me_

_For me_

_Never enough_

_Never, never_

_Never enough_

_Never, never_

_Never enough_

_For me_

_For me_

_For me_

_For me_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=yev9FjV9LPI**

**Or search: Brian Justin Crum in AGT Champions singing Never Enough**

From the reaction of the audience, Finn could tell that he had done a good job. He had gotten so in the zone that he hadn't really heard himself singing. He just hoped and prayed the audience voted for him. He really didn't want to be in the bottom two again. He would have to sing his second choice song in the sing off (having already sung his first-choice song last week) and he probably wouldn't get through with it. Finally, it was time for the judges' feedback.

"Finn!" Louis exclaimed. "Number 1 I want to say is that it would have been an absolute tragedy if you were not in the competition this week. We need original talents like you in the show. I love what you did with the Greatest Showman song, you certainly made it your own. That's why you're a real talent, a true recording artist and people need to vote for you."

"Finn, that's what's so amazing about you and what makes you so talented. You take a classic and you completely make it your own to the point that I barely recognise it. You Finn Hudson'd it all the way. At this point, I want either Ella or you to win this competition but what's amazing about you even if you don't, I predict you'll sell more records than anyone else in it." Tulisa said. Wow, great words from her.

"Finn, when a contestant's in the bottom two, it must be really tempting to just come back and play it safe the next week. You've done none of that. You've brought your integrity and you play in the competition the way you want to play it and I really respect you for that. I'm your biggest fan. It was shocking to see you in the bottom two but it will not be happening this week I'm sure. That was another incredible performance tonight. This is simple. That was the performance of the entire series." Gary said.

Finn's jaw dropped. Wow. That was twice that he had gotten that phrase said about his music by Gary - a man who had met the Queen because of his music. To have such an icon say something like that must mean that he was doing something right.

"You are kind of ridiculous, Finn. Because you take everyone else's songs and you make them better. And for a singer-songwriter, seeing that… it just sucks. You're the gamechanger and please, ladies and gentlemen, I do not want to see Finn Hudson in the bottom two again. He doesn't deserve it. He works harder than anyone I know. Please vote for him this week."

"Thank you, judges." Dermott said as he stood next to Finn. "You know, it looks like Nicole, even though you're in her category, has a fight on her hands because I think Tulisa wants you in her's and Gary definitely wants you in his. Last week you were in the bottom two. Did that affect your performance tonight?"

"Absolutely, yeah. I'm just glad that they enjoyed my take on the song. I'm really happy to be here so thank you to all those who voted for me."

"Is it important for you to bounce back and are you happy with those comments from the judges?"

"Yeah, I'm over the moon with those comments. It gives me nothing but confidence."

"OK, ladies and gentlemen… Finn Hudson!"

Finn walked on stage, overall extremely satisfied with his performance.

Christopher was the final performer for the movie half of the show and he sang Fernando from Mamma Mia. His performance, in one world, was… bad. First of all, the ballad that he performed lacked the flair and passion that Finn's ballad before him had. In Nicole's words, it was a bit of a 'snoozer'. In addition, his performance was also kind of creepy! He had multiple half naked dancers on stage with him, and Tulisa and Louis both commented on how creepy it was. The dancers were just standing there in their swimwear and the judges had to stop themselves from straight up giggling at the weird backdrop and back up dancers in his performance. However, from a vocal perspective, it was pretty decent as he hit every note.

At this point, they were only halfway through the night. They still had their Motown numbers to perform. There was a short half an hour break and then Dermott walked back on stage for the second half of the show.

"Welcome back to the X Factor, where we are just two weeks away from crowning someone winner of the X Factor and winning that oh so important record deal. They've all got their eyes on the prize. But it's their voices that are going to get them there. Now, it's time for Round 2. The acts have one more chance to impress as they take on Motown classics. These are some of the best soul songs and there's no margin for error. First up is the one remaining group… Union J!"

Union J's motown song was surprisingly underwhelming. They went with I'll Be There by the Jackson 5. Although it was definitely very good, it was a pretty safe bet. Because there weren't many motown songs that were tailored for groups, they had the opportunity to do something really unique. Unfortunately, they didn't take that opportunity. They didn't go the extra mile they could've.

Rylan was second. Unfortunately, he didn't do too well this time. Motown and Rylan just didn't mix. From the first note, everyone knew how far out of his comfort zone he was. Although his vocals were more evident in this song, it had much less energy than his regular performances and Rylan needed the energy to make up for his lack of singing ability.

Finn didn't have much time to think about Rylan's performance though. He was up next and he was pretty excited. This performance was a lot of fun to work on and he was looking forward to seeing how the audience reacted. He had to make it so that it was edgy, but not bordering on offensive and crude. Finn stood at the side of the stage, where he waited to be announced. He wasn't starting from center stage - instead, he was standing at the side entrance and would be walking to the judges' table for a short minute, before walking on stage in time for the final chorus.

"Singing a Motown classic… ladies, get ready. This is Finn Hudson!"

_I've been really tryin', baby_

_Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long_

_And if you feel like I feel baby_

_Come on, oh come on_

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Let's get it on,_

_Sugar, Sugar_

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Sugar, Let's get it on_

_Yeah_

_Let's Start_

_There's nothing wrong with me_

_Lovin' you, Ooh yeah_

_And givin' yourself to me_

_Can never be wrong_

_If the love is true, Oh baby_

_Yeah_

_And I'm asking you, baby_

_I'm asking you to get it on with me, Yeah_

_OOOOOh, Baby_

_Oh Let's get it on, baby_

_Yeah, Oh Let's start, baby_

_Let's get it on_

_Sugar, Sugar_

_Let's get it on, Oh baby_

_Yeah, Let's get it on_

**To see the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=ZHL6wiGUymI**

**Or search… "James Arthur Let's Get It On**

Finn smiled at the end of the performance. He had beautiful girls dancing all around him, the whole audience was swaying and dancing, and when he finished singing, he got such a loud applause!

"Finn! That was the vocal performance of the entire night. You never let us down! To think you were in the bottom two last week, that doesn't make sense. You're a real contender, you've got real talent, you picked the most famous Motown song and you made it your own. You are a real worldwide-class talent!" Louis exclaimed.

"Finn… only you could get away with singing that song. It was sexy, it was cheeky and I'm sure the ladies are going to be very happy with that." Tulisa said.

"Finn, what a vocal performance!" Gary exclaimed. "Wow! Brilliant! Do you know what? It's so easy to compare you to Ed Sheeran or Bruno Mars. But actually, you're nothing like them. You are Finn Hudson. The only similarity being that their fans will buy your records as well. I can't wait for this record. Great performance. Well done. And it was great to see you tonight away from that guitar for both performances."

Well, that was all of the worrying judges' feedback out the way, and it went so well! None of them had anything bad to say!

"OK, it's safe to say that a lot of babies might be conceived tonight in your name." Nicole joked. "If anyone's having any relationship problems, just turn on the show and you'll rekindle your love." She joked. "Um… you have so much soul. Like when we decided on that song, I got so excited and I was telling people 'Oh My God he's going to do this song!' Nobody dares to touch this song. You murdered it. It was unbelievable. You are like hot butter that melts in our mouths."

"Thank you." Finn replied, and then Dermott came over for their usual pow wow about the performance before Finn would be allowed to go off stage.

"Wow. Finn, is that the song you like to play to woo the ladies?" Dermott joked. Finn chuckled.

"What song? I don't need no song." He replied, jokingly.

"Audience, did we enjoy that?" Dermott asked the crowd. They all screamed and cheered in response.

"All right. Make sure you vote for Finn Hudson if you want him in the semi finals next week. We don't want another Jahmene situation happening again tomorrow. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up one more time for Finn Hudson!"


	116. Chapter 116

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome to the X Factor quarter final results show! Last week, we saw one of the biggest shocks in X Factor history so tonight, the only thing we dare say is certain is that someone will be leaving the competition tonight. But, before all that, we have two of the biggest pop stars on the planet. The incredible Bruno Mars is with us! And a pop star that has had 3 billion views on youtube: the brilliant Rihanna!"

The audience cheered. This was probably the best duo they'd had on the results show all year.

"There are some very nervous acts backstage tonight. They're feeling an awful lot of pressure but for now, they're going to banish those nerves and slap a smile on their faces and put on a great performance. Singing live and together… it's the X Factor finalists!"

**Finn:**

_I used to rule the world_

_Seas would rise when I gave the word_

**Rylan:**

_Now in the morning I sleep alone_

_Sweep the streets I used to own_

**Ella:**

_One minute I held the key_

_Next the walls were closed on me_

**Christopher:**

_And I discovered that my castles stand_

_Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand_

**All:**

_I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing_

_Roman cavalry choirs are singing_

_Be my mirror, my sword and shield_

_My missionaries in a foreign field_

_For some reason I can't explain_

_Once you'd gone there was never_

_Never an honest word_

_And that was when I ruled the world_

**Union J:**

_It was a wicked and wild wind_

_Blew down the doors to let me in_

_Shattered windows and the sound of drums_

_People couldn't believe what I'd become_

_Revolutionaries wait_

_For my head on a silver plate_

**Ella:**

_Just a puppet on a lonely string_

_Oh who would ever want to be king?_

**All:**

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh [5x]_

_Hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing_

_Roman cavalry choirs are singing_

_Be my mirror, my sword and shield_

_My missionaries in a foreign field_

**Finn:**

_For some reason I can't explain_

_I know St. Peter won't call my name_

_Never an honest word_

_But that was when I ruled the world_

"One more time, the X Factor finalists!" Dermott exclaimed. "Only five left, but there are still millions of you with your opinions on which of them is supreme so make sure you vote on behalf of your favourite. Now, it's time for our first guest. He's a huge star who blew us away when he performed on this stage last year. 53 million records sold, 40 times platinum worldwide, last year's biggest selling male artist on the planet, with his new single Locked Out of Heaven… Bruno Mars!"

_One, two, one, two, three_

_Oh, yeah, yeah,_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

_Oh, yeah, yeah,_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

_Never had much faith in love or miracles_

_Ooh!_

_Never wanna put my heart on the line_

_Ooh!_

_But swimming in your water is something spiritual_

_Ooh!_

_I'm born again every time you spend the night_

_Ooh!_

_'Cause your sex takes me to paradise_

_Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise_

_And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

_Oh, yeah, yeah,_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

_You bring me to my knees, you make me testify_

_You can make a sinner change his ways_

_Open up your gates 'cause I can't wait to see the light_

_And right there is where I wanna stay_

_'Cause your sex takes me to paradise_

_Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise_

_And it shows, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Can I just stay here?_

_Spend the rest of my days here?_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Can I just stay here?_

_Spend the rest of my days here?_

_'Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Yeah, you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven_

_For too long, for too long_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

_Oh, yeah, yeah,_

_Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_

_Ooh!_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the brilliant Bruno Mars!" Dermott exclaimed. "So, Locked Out of Heaven, that's out right now?"

"That's right. Locked Out of Heaven is out right now. My album is out December 10th. Go get it!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen… one more time, give it up for Bruno Mars!"

The superstar walked off stage to the cheers of every fan in the arena.

"Well, you have all been voting for your favourite acts for the past 24 hours. Thank you so much but lines are now CLOSED! Please don't call in now. It's too late for your vote to count." Dermott said. "Now, let's have a chat with our judges. OK, so listen, we haven't got much time so I'll just ask you this. Who smashed it last night? Who's in trouble? Louis, you first."

"Well, I'm not going to comment on my favourite act but the most improved act was definitely Union J. But you know what I still can't rid my mind of? Christopher's Fernando and all those weird dancers. It was very… strange."

"But in a good way, surely?" Dermott asked.

"No, just in a weird way." Louis replied, laughing at Gary's glare.

"OK, Tulisa, who did you like? Who's in trouble?"

"Um… my favourite performances were Finn's Let's Get It On and Ella's I Have A Dream. And I agree with Louis… I found Fernando a bit creepy."

"And Gary… who's at risk for you?"

"Rylan." Gary said immediately.

"And finally, Nicole? Who smashed it for you last night?" Dermott asked.

"I said it last night and I'll say it again. Finn Hudson." She said, decisively.

"Ok, thank you so much. Give it up for our X Factor judges!" Dermott said before turning around and walking back to the stage. "And now, it's time for our second guest. She's one of the biggest pop stars in the world. 69 Number 1 singles worldwide, over 180 million records sold worldwide, 6 Grammy awards, it's Rihanna!"

_Yellow diamonds in the light_

_And we're standing side by side_

_As your shadow crosses mine_

_What it takes to come alive_

_It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny_

_But I've gotta let it go_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_Shine a light through an open door_

_Love and life I will divide_

_Turn away 'cause I need you more_

_Feel the heartbeat in my mind_

_It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny_

_But I've gotta let it go_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_Yellow diamonds in the light_

_And we're standing side by side_

_As your shadow crosses mine (mine, mine, mine)_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

"Wow. With a brilliant new single We Found Love, it's Rihanna!" Dermott exclaimed. "Absolutely brilliant. Now it gets serious. It's time for the results. Four acts return to sing again. Two will face the final showdown. One will be eliminated. So, it's time to find out. Let's welcome back the judges and their acts!"

"Tulisa and the one remaining girl… Ella!"

"Gary and the one remaining over 28… Christopher!"

"Louis and the one remaining group… Union J!"

"And Nicole and the two remaining boys… Finn and Rylan!"

"All right, it's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the three acts definitely going through to next week's X Factor semi final, and the two who received the fewest votes will sing again in the final showdown. Good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act returning next week is… Finn!"

"LET'S GO!" Finn shouted, punching the air in celebration. He was through to the semi finals! He received thunderous applause from everyone in the arena, including the other competitors and judges. Nobody could deny that he deserved his spot in the competition.

"Also through to next week's semi final is… Christopher!"

Everyone was surprised on one hand, but weren't on the other. Christopher should have been out of the competition a couple of weeks ago, but because of him voting for himself repeatedly, people kind of knew that he would be in the semi finals.

"Two acts have made it through. Only one more is certain of a place in next week's show. Union J, Ella and Rylan. The third and final act definitely going through to the semi final is… Ella!"

Yup. Expected. Ella was through to the semis.

"So, it's Union J versus Rylan. It will be up to the judges to decide on who goes home. Singing first will be Rylan. Union J, please come and join me. You'll be singing second. Good luck to the both of you."

After Dermott's announcement, Rylan took his place in front of the microphone. Like in his other sing off performances, there wouldn't be any dancers.

_You got wires, going in_

_You got wires, coming out of your skin_

_You got tears, making tracks_

_I got tears, that are scared of the facts_

_Running, down corridors through, automatic doors_

_Got to get to you, got to see this through_

_I see hope is here, in a plastic box_

_I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes_

_You got wires, going in_

_You got wires, coming out of your skin_

_There's dry blood, on your wrist_

_Your dry blood on my fingertip_

_Running, down corridors through, automatic doors_

_Got to get to you, got to see this through_

_First night of your life, curled up on your own_

_Looking at you now, you would never know_

_I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes_

_You'll be alright_

_I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes_

_You'll be alright_

_Alright_

_Running, down corridors through, automatic doors_

_Got to get to you, got to see this through_

_I see hope is here, in a plastic box_

_I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes_

_down corridors, through automatic doors_

_Got to get to you, got to see this through_

_First night of your life, curled up on your own_

_Looking at you now, you would never know._

This was definitely Rylan's best performance yet. He sounded great vocally, and he didn't have to hide behind the fancy gimmicks.

"Well cone, Rylan. Union J, please take your places. Rylan, please come and join me." Dermott said. The two acts switched places so Union J were center stage.

_Some day, when I'm awfully low_

_When the world is cold_

_I will feel a glow just thinking of you_

_And the way you look tonight_

_Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm_

_And your cheeks so soft_

_There is nothing for me but to love you_

_And the way you look tonight_

_With each word your tenderness grows_

_Tearin' my fear apart_

_And that laugh..wrinkles your nose_

_Touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely ... Never, never change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you_

_Just the way you look tonight_

_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_

_It touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely ... Don't you ever change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you_

_a-just the way you look tonight_

_Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm,_

_Just the way you look tonight_

Union J were brilliant. As much as Finn loved Rylan, he knew that Union J was the deserving act to be the final semi finalist. However, it wasn't up to him. It was up to the four judges, who would be giving their comments and verdict very soon.

"Well done to both Rylan and Union J." Dermott said. "All right. They have done everything they can. Only one of them can return to sing again next week. One of them will be leaving the competition tonight. That decision, as always, is in the hands of Louis, Tulisa, Nicole and Gary. I'll ask each of them who they want to send home. In the event of a tie, we go to deadlock and revert to the earlier public vote. Nicole, coming to you first. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Union J, that was a very moving performance. It was passionate, it was emotional, but it's simple for me. I have to stick with my boy. I believe in him. So the act I'm sending home is Union J."

"Louis, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Rylan, you're a fantastic guy. You're brilliant fun. You're a great contestant. You're a great role model. You're a team player. And you're a brilliant performer. And I've really enjoyed meeting you and talking to you. I think you're going to have an amazing career in television. But, Dermott, in the sing off, my boys totally won. They've got something brilliant. So the act I'm sending home is Rylan."

"One apiece. Gary, coming to you next. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Union J, you had a great night last night and you've just had a great sing off as well. You are the band everyone is gonna want to sign in this competition. You're going to have the labels fighting over you. Well done on that performance. Listen, Rylan, you have been an amazing contestant and I'm so glad because tonight, that was your best vocal performance and also, best song choice. That's one of my favourite songs. We've had great fun, and none of what we've said has been personal. It's all been in good fun but the act I'm sending home tonight, I'm sad to say, is Rylan."

"So Tulisa, here's the deal. If you opt to send Rylan home, he goes home. If you opt to send Union J home, we go to deadlock. The name of the act you're sending home."

"Union J, you are four amazing lads both on stage and off stage and you've given brilliant performances each week. Rylan, you have entertained me the whole way through this series. You have made me laugh, made me smile, and I have to say, I admire your strength. I now, at this stage, have to go with the act I feel has got the most potential to sell records, and it pains me to say this, I'm so sorry but the act I have to send home is Rylan."


	117. Chapter 117

8 weeks gone by. 2 weeks left. Thousands of acts had applied for the prestigious competition and only 4 acts remained. They were in the final stretch, and nobody wanted to lose. The remaining acts were Union J, Christopher, Finn and Ella. Three of them would make the final, two would make the Sunday final and one would be crowned X Factor winner and be given a million dollar record deal, all in the next fortnight.

Finn walked into the studio at 6 am on Monday morning. Obviously, Nicole wasn't there yet, but that was the point. Privately, Finn had used the production studio to secretly compose a song. He had pretty much finished the backing track, and just needed to record vocals over it and it would be complete. He probably wouldn't ever actually release the song, but it was a lot of fun to write his own songs and it served as a good distraction from the competition.

That proved true as Finn didn't even notice a whole hour and a half go by. He was so engrossed in his singing that he didn't even notice someone walking up behind him.

_We gotta get away_

_We gotta get away_

_We gotta get away_

_We gotta get away_

_We gotta get away_

"Finn?" Nicole asked, surprised. Finn turned around, surprised, and almost dropped the water bottle he was using at a microphone.

"Hey Nicole. What are you doing here? It's like 6:30 in the morning!" Finn exclaimed. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"Um… check your phone dude. It's 7:30, the time we decided to meet."

"Jesus, it's 7:30?" Finn murmured under his breath. "Sorry. Lost track of time. Are you ready to begin?" He asked.

"Yeah, but hold on one second. The song you were just singing: it's beautiful. Who sings that?"

Finn blushed.

"Um… I… I sing that. I spent my free time during the past couple of weeks working on it. That doesn't matter. We need to start working on this week's songs. There's no way in hell I'm getting this far and not making the final now. What are the themes?"

"Well, only one song has a theme. Song one's theme is 'a song for someone special.' Song two doesn't have a theme."

Finn nodded.

"So, have you got any suggestions for me for song 1?" He asked. Nicole shrugged.

"Song 1 is the easy one because there's a theme to it. Song two is where we'll have to bring out the big guns. And one of the things I was going to suggest was an original song, but you've clearly beat me to it."

Finn finally caught on to what Nicole was suggesting.

"No, no, no, no, no. I'm not performing an original song. It's too risky, and I'm not throwing away this opportunity by performing some weird, crappy original song that I only took like 10 hours to write."

"That took you ten hours? It was amazing! Can I at least hear it from start to finish?" She asked. Finn sighed and nodded. He then proceeded to perform the song from beginning to end. At the end, Nicole was speechless. It took her several moments to finally regain her speech.

"F… Finn. That was… incredible. Like genuinely, that could be a top 10 hit on the charts. You're performing that this week."

"Nicole…" Finn said, still slightly unconvinced. He was all for taking risks, but he also knew that the semi finals were a slippery slope - one wrong move and he'd go plummeting down.

"Finn, just trust me, okay? You're my only boy left in the competition. You are my only focus for the next two weeks. I'm not about to do something stupid that gets you kicked out of the competition."

Finn sighed.

"Fine, but we've gotta put a lot of time into it. I'm singing some half-assed shit. If we go big, we go huge."

Nicole beamed widely.

"Yes! Agreed!" Nicole said. "Now, let's talk about the second song. It's a song for someone special. Obviously, Christopher's gonna sing some sappy love ballad; Ella's pretty young so she's probably singing about her parents or something; Union J are a boy band so they are naturally going to be addressing the girls in the audience with a love song. Do you have a girlfriend you can sing about?"

Finn chuckled.

"Nicole, we've had this conversation already. Week 2, remember?"

Nicole laughed.

"Oh yeah! I remember now. No girlfriend but you have been in love before. Do you want to sing about her?"

Finn thought for a moment. Would singing about Bella really be the greatest idea? It would probably cause more distractions for him and tear him away from his performance. After some thought, Finn shook his head.

"No, I'm not going to sing about her, but I do have an idea. Why don't I sing One by U2?" He suggested. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, that's still a love song. Or at least a somewhat romantic song." She pointed out. Finn shook his head.

"I'm not gonna dedicate it to my ex. It's going to be dedicated to my friends. They were all intelligent and well-achieving their lives and there was a question mark over me achieving anything. Growing up, I didn't have the easiest life, as you know. Because of that, I had some serious mental problems. They managed to pick me up from very dark times and I want to try and convey that they had my back, so I'll forever have theirs."

"So basically, you're going for the Friend of the Year award?" Nicole joked.

"Yeah, kinda." Finn replied.

"I mean, that's beautiful. Especially in moments like these when life is really changing, it's always best to hold onto family and keep them close."

"Right. And they all do a bit of bragging about how their friend's on the X Factor. And it's great. There wasn't much to brag about before. I love the fact that they're proud of their friend now. It's cool."

"Well, I think both of those songs are great songs. I can practically smell the final!" Nicole exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"Baby steps, Nicole. Baby steps."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

That night, Finn went on his laptop and initiated a group video chat with Santana, George, Harry and Liam.

"Hi!" They exclaimed as he got onto the call.

"Hey." Finn replied.

"We miss you, man." George said. Finn smiled.

"I miss you guys too, man. Hopefully I'll be in the final and you can all come and see me in the final."

"Already bought our flight tickets and I've already bought my dress." Santana said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"That's great, but you do realise that if I get kicked out this week, I'm not giving you a refund!"

"Hey, in that case, I can save the dress for your album release party when that debut album comes out." Santana joked.

"Haha. I wanted to thank you all for being so amazing. I would be where I am - hell, I probably wouldn't even be alive - if it weren't for you. I love you guys."

"We love you too. Good luck, man. We know you can do it. We're so proud of you." George said. The five of them spoke for the next half hour before Finn had to go and they hung up. Finn slept that night with a huge smile on his face. He knew more than ever that he wanted to dedicate his song to his friends. He might not have any living relatives, but he loved his friends like they were family.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Three days later, Finn walked into the studio to find Gary, Christopher, Louis, Union J, Tulisa, Ella and Nicole all sitting there. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on? Am I in trouble? Should I be worried?" Finn asked, nervously.

"I don't know, should you?" Ella joked. Finn rolled his eyes.

"You sound like such a mom. But that's not an answer. Why is everyone here?"

"Well, we're all doing a segment for the Xtra Factor this afternoon." Nicole explained. "Well, all those aren't chicken."

"Chicken? No. Chicken is not wanting to fight someone. Common sense is not wanting to jump out of a plane." Christopher argued.

"Wait, we're going parachuting?" Finn asked, grinning widely.

"Heck yeah!" Nicole exclaimed. "So, who's coming?"

"I'm not going. I'd rather dye my hair pink than go skydiving. I don't really like height as it is, and jumping out of a plane. Hell no." Josh from Union J said. All of the boys in Union J + Christopher agreed with him. Finn and Ella were the only competitors who agreed to go, and Gary and Nicole were the only mentors who agreed to.

A couple of hours later, they were standing on a jetway in Long Island, getting ready to load onto the plane. As first time skydivers, Nicole, Gary and Ella were all doing tandem jumps with the skydiving instructors but Finn had to just show them his Army skydiving pin and they let him dive alone. There were cameras on the whole team as their experience was going to be recorded and the footage was going to be edited to create a segment for the show. Nicole turned to the cameras.

"What's up guys. It's the X Factor contestants and judges and we're here in Long Island. It's 80 degrees and today, we're about to jump out of an aeroplane."

"I still can't quite believe I'm doing this." Ella said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, why did I agree to this again?" Gary asked, laughing nervously.

"Because you wanted to prove to the cameras that you're a man and not just a big baby chicken." Nicole remarked.

"Hey! I am a man!" Gary exclaimed, indignantly.

"Don't worry, Nicole. I'll be sure to get some footage of him screaming like a little girl while he's freefalling." Finn reassured her, and she giggled. Gary rolled his eyes.

"You know, I'm still kind of surprised none of you backed out." Finn commented.

"Hey, I might still be here but I am TERRIFIED." Ella said.

"Well, you are here and that's better than Louis, Tulisa, Union J and Christopher. This is great. We're going to do this." Finn said.

"So, what exactly is going to happen, Finn?" Nicole asked.

"Well, we fly in the plane until it's 15,000 ft in the air, and then we jump." Finn said. "It's really not complicated." He laughed.

"Shut up! 15,000 feet?" Nicole asked, disbelievingly.

"Yeah, because we want a good amount of time free falling."

Suddenly, the pilot of the plane and the skydiving instructors walked over to them. It was time to go. They clambered onto the plane. It was a tight squeeze as there were 7 people in the 10 person plane, and the pilot took off shortly after.

"So, how long will we be in the air for?" Ella asked Finn, who was sitting next to her.

"Approximately 15 minutes." Finn replied.

"Is there a meal service?" She jokingly asked.

"Nope." Finn responded.

"Snacks?"

"Nope."

"Peanuts?"

"Nope."

"A little trolley with drinks on it?"

"Nope."

"Wow. This is like the worst plane I've ever been on." She joked. Finn rolled his eyes and laughed. "Is this like a normal experience for you?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah. In Delta Force training, we'd do up to like 7 jumps a day. It had to become as easy as riding a bike. We then proceeded to do HALO jumps which are from double the altitude, and we'd have to wear oxygen masks."

"Jeez. I would not be able to survive one day of that." She remarked. Finn laughed.

"I would genuinely pay to see you try to attempt a HALO jump, but it can do some serious damage to your body and even kill you if done wrong. Like if your oxygen mask is broken and you pass out, it's not like you're gonna be awake enough to pull the chute."

"Wow, that's reassuring." Ella said, shifting around nervously in her seat.

"Don't worry. These jumps are practically harmless. And anyways… you're jumping tandem. He does all the work and you just get to sit back and enjoy the gorgeous view of the NY skyline."

"So, true buddy. So true."

Soon, it was finally time for them to jump. Based on where they were sitting in the plane, Finn would be jumping first, followed by Ella, then Nicole, then Gary would bring up the rear. Finn gripped the handgrips of the plane as the pilot opened the door, and the force pulling him out the window immediately strengthened. Finn hung on though.

"I'll see you guys down there. Good luck!" Finn said, before flamboyantly backflipping out of the plane. He made sure to stay spread eagled so that he would collect as much air resistance as possible. Eventually, Ella and her Tandem instructor dove to be alongside of Finn.

"You ready to spin?" The instructor asked Ella.

"WHAT?" Ella shouted back. It was nearly impossible to hear with the volume of the wind. Finn heard him though and winked. He grabbed Ella's hands and they spun around eachother so that they were like one large propeller heading for the ground. Ella screamed at the sudden movement and Finn laughed. He waved to her before moving, spread-eagled again so that he would make it to the ground as slowly as possible and Nicole, who was next, would catch up to his altitude. She did shortly after, and Finn waved to her and dived over. Nicole was shrieking in fear and had her eyes tightly shut as her and the instructor free fell. Finn knocked on her goggles and she slowly opened her eyes and saw the gorgeous view before her. Finn knew only too well how breathtaking any landscape was from above, and when you were skydiving, it felt like you were a bird soaring over the surroundings.

At this point, it was time for Finn to get some distance away, so he decided to dive straight down. This was not something many skydivers did, but they did it pretty often in the military. He quickly caught up with Ella but he didn't stop. He kept going down so that he, once again, had the lowest altitude. At the perfect moment, he pulled the cord and shortly after, he gently touched down on the ground. His landing was graceful, like that of a dancer. Unfortunately, the others' landing weren't nearly as good. When Ella landed, her and her instructor stumbled and they fell face first on the group. Finn, himself, fell over. But for him, he fell over due to his hysterical laughter. He ran over to Ella and after he helped her up, he burst out laughing again. They watched as Nicole and Gary both did exactly the same thing as Ella. Finn knew from experience how difficult landing was and how hard it was to master. It had taken him at least 10 jumps to master landing smoothly.

"We did it!" Gary exclaimed once they had all taken off their goggles and everything.

"Yeah, we did. But I feel like Nicole might need a fresh set of pants." Finn joked. Nicole hit him on the shoulder.

"Hey! I wasn't that bad!" She cried.

"Yeah, you weren't. Other than the couple of minutes when you sounded like a banshee giving birth."

"Oh shut up, Finn." Nicole rolled her eyes.

It had been such an incredible experience for all of them, and it was definitely one they would never forget. Literally, they would never forget it as Finn insisted on making t-shirts out of terrible pictures that he had taken of them during the dive. Now, the next thing they had to worry about was the looming semi finals. All four mentors had just one act remaining, so the chance of having more than one act from a single category in the final was impossible. Finn didn't think about that stuff though. All he was concerned about was the original song that he was going to have to sing in front of thousands of people. It was going to be petrifying - more so than jumping out of 100 planes.


	118. Chapter 118

"Welcome to the X Factor. Your semi final starts right here!" Dermott exclaimed. "We are live on ITV1 for a four way showdown. That will see three acts progress to the X Factor final and one miss out at the final hurdle. To get there, they are going to be singing two songs and tonight, they are going to be on point. And who makes it to the final will be determined by the toughest judges out there: you! Yes, it is that time again when we take great pleasure in stripping the judges of their power and handing complete control back to you. No final showdown, no deadlock, no judges spending far too long deciding who they want to send home. Quite simply, the act with the least number of vote will be leaving the competition. Speaking of judges, let's give it up for our four amazing mentors who each have one act in the semi finals. It's Tulisa, Louis, Gary and Nicole!"

The four mentors walked on stage and over to their judges' table. They weren't judges today in any way - merely mentors to their acts.

"The acts are singing songs for you - songs for someone special - and first up, the only over 28 left in the competition. It's Christopher Maloney."

Back in the green room, because Christopher was already backstage, Union J, Ella and Finn got to talking.

"How is he here?" Josh from Union J asked, incredulously. "Like seriously! Our boys District3 and Jahmene are out, and yet he's still here."

"Dude, even Kye was better than him. Christopher should have been out in week 5." Ella remarked.

"I mean, he's clearly getting some votes. Like I realise that some might be from himself, but some have gotta be legit." Finn argued, reasonably.

"Yeah, old people are voting for him. The point of the competition is to find the next big recording artist. He isn't going to sell too many records." Jaymi said. Finn shrugged and turned back to the TV to watch Christopher's performance. His streak of singing sappy love ballads went on: he sang You Raise Me Up this time. It was a very hard song to cover and he did a pretty good job, but that didn't take away the fact that he probably wouldn't be the target of many record labels. He would be great on Broadway though. Probably a better Broadway singer than any of the others.

Ella was next, and as always, she blew the judges and the audience away with her dreamy rendition of I Look to You. It was so emotional; every lyric in the song clearly had so much meaning to her. She sang her heart out every week and if anyone deserved a spot in the finals, it was definitely her. There was no way she was going back to working in a supermarket. She deserved to make number 1 albums. She had grown so much in the competition. She always sang beautifully, she always sang like she meant it, she always sang with passion, but that performance was next level and it was clear that she meant every word she was saying.

Union J were third up. They were coming into the semi finals as the favourites to be leaving the competition this week (having been in the bottom two three times, it didn't look great for them) so it was more important for them than ever that they came out fighting. Being in the bottom two three times was gutting. It was hard going into such a high-pressure semi final knowing that the public weren't voting for them, and there was no sing off to save them this week. They decided to dedicate their song to their fans, and they sang Beneath Your Beautiful by Emile Sande and Labyrinth. They wanted to sing about beauty being on the inside as they wanted it to be relatable to people at home. The judges had saved them 3 times so they needed to go out and absolutely destroy their song to prove that they deserved their place. They did. It was almost like the group had a newfound maturity to them. They had gone from being just an immature group of 16 year olds into being humble, mature pop stars.

Finally, it was Finn's turn to sing his first song: One. He walked backstage and waited anxiously to be announced by Dermott. Neither of his performances tonight would involve his guitar, so he gripped the microphone tightly with both hands.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… closing the second half of the show… the one remaining boy… Finn Hudson!"

_Is it getting better_

_Or do you feel the same_

_Will it make it easier on you now_

_You got someone to blame_

_You say_

_One love_

_One life_

_When it's one need in the night_

_One love_

_We get to share it_

_Leaves you baby if you don't care for it_

_Did I disappoint you_

_Or leave a bad taste in your mouth_

_You act like you never had love_

_And you want me to go without_

_Well, it's_

_Too late_

_Tonight_

_To drag the past out into the light_

_We're one, but we're not the same_

_We get to carry each other_

_Carry each other_

_One_

_Have you come here for forgiveness_

_Have you come to raise the dead_

_Have you come here to play Jesus_

_To the lepers in your head_

_Did I ask too much_

_More than a lot_

_You gave me nothing_

_Now it's all I got_

_We're one but we're not the same_

_Well we hurt each other_

_Then we do it again_

_You say_

_Love is a temple_

_Love a higher law_

_Love is a temple_

_Love the higher law_

_You ask me to enter_

_But then you make me crawl_

_And I can't be holding on_

_To what you got_

_When all you got is hurt_

_One love_

_One blood_

_One life_

_You gotta do what you should_

_One life_

_With each other_

_Sisters_

_Brothers_

_One life_

_But we're not the same_

_We get to carry each other_

_Carry each other_

_One_

_One_

**To see the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=JenmS7oLpxM**

**Or search… "James Arthur One"**

At the end of the song, Finn smiled and relaxed considerably. He felt like he actually nailed his performance, and he rarely ever felt that way.

"Finn! Every week, you bring something different and original to the X Factor and you're what the show is all about: finding someone with real talent. I think you're a really honest performer. I think this time next year, you're going to have your first album out for sure, and quite possibly a couple of number 1 singles. I think you're a true musician. Nicole, you've done a brilliant job with him." Louis said.

"I didn't do anything. He was already such an amazing talent and artist when he came to me." Nicole exclaimed. Finn smiled.

"Finn, not only was that a great performance but that was a performance worthy of going through to the final. I was thinking to myself about something the other day. A lot of people, myself included, have said things like 'even if Finn doesn't win, he's probably going to get a record deal.' I'm tired of hearing that. Why shouldn't you win? Why shouldn't the credible, real, real musician win this show. Why do you have to be the one who goes out early and still gets the deal. You are representing not only Ohio, but you are probably the biggest up and coming artist the U.S have had since… since Elvis actually." Tulisa said.

Wow. That was so unexpected. To be compared to an absolute legend and icon like Elvis. Finn was speechless.

"Thank you. Thank you, Tulisa." Finn said.

"Finn, another amazing performance tonight. I mean, I love the way it's almost like watching a musical boxer. You come out ready for a fight every week and I love watching you pick off the opponents one by one. Brilliant song choice. Listen, you're a finalist for me. I will be extremely disappointed if I sit in the final and you're not singing next week. Well done." Gary said.

"Thank you." Finn said.

"Finn…" Nicole said. "Every time you get on that stage, I can tell how much you want it, how much you're here to take it and I can tell how much winning this competition really means to you. So everyone, vote for Finn Hudson. I do not want to see him eliminated tomorrow."

Finn smiled. He got stellar feedback from the judges, and now, it was time for his quick talk with Dermott.

"I imagine…" Dermott said. "That you, when someone says to do a song that means something to you, you don't really don't really show your emotions, so that would be quite difficult. How hard was it for you tonight?"

"Yeah, but I mean, it wasn't too difficult because I knew from minute one who I was singing about. My friends are like family to me: they mean more to me than anyone in the world. It's a busy schedule right now and I don't get to speak to them much, but the fact that I got to sing a song for them was really nice."

"All right. If you want to see Finn again next week, remember to vote for him. Give it up for Finn Hudson everyone!"

Finn walked off stage, ecstatic. He had done a great first song. Now, there was a quick break and then song 2 would commence. This was the song Finn was truly worried about. It could be his ticket to the finals, but it could also easily spell his doom.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Welcome back to the semi final of the X Factor, where we're about to start round two. The acts are now singing songs that they believe will get them to the final and they better hope they are right because this is their last chance to impress and then it's 100% down to you. Kicking things off this time is one of the girls. It's Ella Henderson everybody!"

Once again, Ella's performance was gorgeous. She sang Power of Love by Celine Dion. She was truly world-class, and was born to sing. After that performance, Ella was, in all likelihood, sailing straight through to the final. She had always been really consistent each week with her performances, and although she might have lifted her foot off the gas a tiny bit at some point, she was now full steam ahead for the final and that prestigious X Factor crown.

Christopher was next, and he sang his most current song he had sung yet, although it was about 6 years old already. He sang Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble and it was clear to see that he was way out of his depth. It was the semi finals and his cover was by far not his best performance yet. His first song of the night was a million times better than his second but because it was Christopher, there was still a good chance that he would be in the final three.

The third act to perform their second song was Union J, and they did a reasonably good job. It wasn't as good as their first performance and their song - I'm Already There by Lonestar - was a bit of a safe choice given that both of their songs were pretty similar. But, other than that, their vocals were incredible. And the fact that they had been in the bottom two three times but were still fighting is amazing.

Finn was the final performer of the evening and he was singing his original song. He was very nervous about it, and as he took his place backstage, his hands shook slightly.

"Welcome back to a hotly contested X Factor semi final." Dermott said. "The acts are doing all they can. One more act is still yet to perform his final performance. Singing an original song… it's Finn Hudson everybody!"

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_Welcome to the final show_

_Hope you're wearing your best clothes_

_You can't bribe the door on your way to the sky_

_You look pretty good down here_

_But you ain't really good_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_Your bullets, the bullets?_

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Just stop your crying_

_It'll be alright_

_They told me that the end is near_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Just stop your crying_

_Have the time of your life_

_Breaking through the atmosphere_

_And things are pretty good from here_

_Remember, everything will be alright_

_We can meet again somewhere_

_Somewhere far away from here_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Stop your crying_

_Baby, it'll be alright_

_They told me that the end is near_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_Your bullets, the bullets?_

_We don't talk enough_

_We should open up_

_Before it's all too much_

_Will we ever learn?_

_We've been here before_

_It's just what we know_

_Stop your crying, baby_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=Y8R-zl7SDUU**

**Or search… "Sign of the Times by Harry Styles"**

After singing the final note of the heart-wrenching outro of the song, Finn stepped back from the mic stand. The audience's reaction to the song was going to be everything, and for a brief, horrifying moment, the whole arena was silent. Then, they erupted. Applause, cheers, screams and stomping feet echoed through the arena. Finn saw Nicole at the judges' table giving him a subtle thumbs up and he relaxed slightly. It had gone well. Very well.

"Finn!" Louis exclaimed once the audience had finally quietened down. "If there's any justice, you are sailing right through to the final because you've paid all your dues doing all those small gigs with nobody listening. Now, people are listening. You're in everybody's homes, you're original, you're incredible, and you've got the X Factor!"

The audience screamed their approval of the fantastic feedback Finn had just gotten from Louis.

"Finn, I feel so proud to be a part of this show while you're on it." Tulisa said. "I know I've said this before. This is everything I wanted to see when I watched the X Factor so many years ago. And what would make me even prouder is to be sitting on this panel and hear the words 'and the winner is… Finn Hudson!' Make it happen, people!" Tulisa exclaimed.

"Thanks. Thank you." Finn said.

"Finn, this is simple. You know how I said that last week, it was the performance of the series? Well, you've just topped that. This was the performance of the series. That was amazing. It really was. You are a great singer, but there's something else with you. You make people emote. You bring out the emotion in people and I know all over the country right now, whether people are ironing, washing the dishes, they will have stopped and watched that performance. Well done. And you don't know how happy I am that you performed an original song for the competition. It was just gorgeous, and if this is what you're producing in the semis, I can't wait to see what you pull out of your hat for the finals." Gary said. His comments were probably the best of any of the judges (other than Nicole of course), but then again, Gary was one of his biggest supporters. Not a bad friend to make in the music business!

"Finn…" Nicole said. "This is why I came to the U.S, buddy. America, come on. If Finn Hudson isn't in the final then what am I doing here? Please, please, vote for him. That performance was genius, and he wrote it all himself. I didn't help at all with that performance. It was epic. It was transcending. Beautiful."

Finn nodded and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Although nothing was certain of course, he felt like maybe, just maybe, there was a spot for him in that three person final.

"Finn…" Dermott said, walking up beside him. "You're a stoic guy. You don't take praise easily. How important is it for you to get through to next week's final?"

"Um… I've never wanted anything more in my life." Finn said. "That's all I can really say. Thank you so much everyone for voting for me up to this point. This has been the best couple of months of my life."

"Ladies and Gentlemen… one more time. Give it up for Mr. Finn Hudson!" Dermott exclaimed.


	119. Chapter 119

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome to the X Factor semi finals results show!" Dermott exclaimed. "Oh yeah! This is it. Tonight, you decide the three finalists. No final showdown, no judges vote, no deadlock. Just your votes alone will send three acts through to the final and one act home. It's that simple. Also tonight, we've heard her talk a lot but tonight, she's going to sing. Tulisa is with us!"

The X Factor judge would be performing. That should be fun.

"And, making her X Factor debut, the incredible Pink is here!'

The crowd cheered louder for the revolutionary artist.

"And also, a mystery guest will be making his presence felt by performing with our remaining finalists in their group performance. But first, a pop powerhouse foursome who have been stripped of their powers so all they can do tonight is be loud and opinionated. It's the X Factor judges!"

The judges took their place at the judging table without much fuss. They were all nervous more than anything else.

"All right, lines are still open but will close shortly so please be sure to vote on behalf of your favourite act. The three acts with the most public votes will be through to the finals. This is it. Four acts remain. They might be locked in an intense competition but they all entered because of one thing: they love to sing. So, let's hear it. Performing live and together with a very special guest… the X Factor finalists!"

**Ella:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

**Christopher:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

**Finn:**

_Bought me a diamond ring for Christmas_

_I feel like I'm in paradise_

**Union J** _:_

_I feel mighty fine, y'all_

_I've got music on my radio_

_Feel mighty fine, girl_

_I've got music on my radio, oh, oh, oh_

**Ella:**

_I feel like I'm gonna kiss you_

_Standing beneath that mistletoe_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… please welcome Rod Stewart!" Finn announced and Rod Stewart himself walked on stage with the finalists.

**Rod:**

_Santa came down the chimney_

_Half past three, y'all_

**Finn:**

_Left all them a good ol' present_

_For my baby and for me, ha, ha, ha_

**All:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

_You bought all those good ol' presents_

_I love you, baby, rest of my life_

**Rod:**

_Santa came down the chimney_

_'Bout half past four_

_Left them all them presents for me_

_Lying on the floor_

**All:**

_I said Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure did treat me nice_

_You bought me a diamond ring for Christmas_

_Now I feel like I'm in paradise_

**Christopher:**

_Yea-ea-ea-eah. I feel like I'm in_

_Paradiiiiise_

**Rod:**

_Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure you treated me well_

_I said Merry Christmas, baby_

_Sure you treated me well_

**Finn:**

_Sure did treated me we-e-e-e-e-ell_

**Rod:**

_Well yeah bought me a brand new watch for Christmas_

_And I feel like I'm in paradise_

**Union J:**

_(Feel like I'm in paradiiiise)_

**All:**

_Merry Christmas Baby_

_Merry Christmas Baby_

_Happy New Year Baby_

_Happy New Year Baby_

_Happy New Year_

_May the good lord be with you_

_May the good lord be with you_

_May the good lord be with you_

**For the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=wy4tTM45Nzo**

**Or search: "The Finalists & Rod Stewart sing Merry Xmas Baby - Live Week 9 - The X Factor UK 2012"**

"Singing with our contestants… Mr. Rod Stewart!" Dermott shouted over the cheers from the audience. "Rod, thank you so much for singing with our contestants."

"Thank you for having me." Rod replied. "These guys, and lady, are so good! I was pleasantly surprised."

"Contestants, you just sang with Rod Stewart!" Dermott exclaimed, facing the four acts. "OK, and Rod, are you going to be touring with this album?"

"Yeah. Not this one. I've got another album coming out in April and I'm touring in June."

"OK, thank you so much for being here. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Rod Stewart! Now, up next, taking her talents from behind the table to up on stage, give it up for our very own X Factor judge Tulisa!"

_Your blazing sun turned into long cold sweats_

_After all you've done, I'm not over you yet_

_I know your heart is out the door_

_Let me grab my feelings from the floor_

_With everything said_

_And I'll get over you yet_

_I'm just playing_

_Oh baby_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_I'm begging baby boy_

_You don't have to be like that_

_We don't have to be like that_

_You don't have to be like that, woah oh_

_I can't believe we're through, packed bags_

_A lot of broken glass - what a drag_

_Used to love the sight of you_

_Now I can't stand the sight of you, woah oh_

_I can't believe you're gone, I'm so hurt_

_All the love we had, blank stare like you forgot_

_I used to love the sight of you_

_Now I can't stand the sight of you_

_Can't believe we're through [x2]_

_That amazing smile has been lost for a while_

_Now everything's a mess, still not one regret_

_And that heart of gold_

_When I ask where it's gone, you say "I don't know"_

_Hey I'm not finished yet_

_You are my biggest regret_

_Stop playing_

_Oh baby_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_Why don't you just please come back_

_I'm begging baby boy_

_It don't have to be like that_

_We don't have to be like that_

_You don't have to be like that, woah_

_I can't believe we're through, packed bags_

_A lot of broken glass - what a drag_

_Used to love the sight of you_

_Now I can't stand the sight of you, woah oh_

_I can't believe you're gone, I'm so hurt_

_All the love we had, blank stare like you forgot_

_I used to love the sight of you_

_Now I can't stand the sight of you_

_Can't believe we're through_

_I can't believe it's over babe_

_The journey in my heart is killing me_

_Breaking me unfaithfully_

_The sight is burning my eyes_

_I thought you would be forever babe_

_But forever has turned to never babe_

_How did something good go so bad, so quick, so fast still at just like that?_

_The end_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=qpMEAy_UqB4**

**Or search: Sight of You Tulisa**

"Give it up for our very own Tulisa!" Dermott exclaimed. "So, what's like to have been a mentor and judge 7 days a week for the past 9 weeks and now to flip it around so you're the one singing?"

"Terrifying." Tulisa replied, laughing.

"Is it really?" Dermott asked.

"Yeah."

"I mean, I know you were nervous all this week, but what's it like when you actually perform? Do you enjoy it?"

"You enjoy it but it's still terrifying."

"OK, your new single Sight of You is out now. Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Tulisa! All right, on with the show. This is your five minute warning. You have five minutes to vote for your favourite act to send them through to the final. Time for tonight's third and final guest. An incredible artist. A singer-songwriter with an extraordinary voice who has become a star worldwide. With her new single, and her first time on the X Factor… give it up for P!nk!"

_Oh oh_

_Ever wonder about what he's doing?_

_How it all turned to lies?_

_Sometimes I think that it's better to never ask why_

_Where there is desire_

_There is gonna be a flame_

_Where there is a flame_

_Someone's bound to get burned_

_But just because it burns_

_Doesn't mean you're gonna die_

_You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Eh, eh, eh_

_Funny how the heart can be deceiving_

_More than just a couple times_

_Why do we fall in love so easy?_

_Even when it's not right_

_Where there is desire_

_There is gonna be a flame_

_Where there is a flame_

_Someone's bound to get burned_

_But just because it burns_

_Doesn't mean you're gonna die_

_You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Ever worry that it might be ruined_

_And does it make you wanna cry?_

_When you're out there doing what you're doing_

_Are you just getting by?_

_Tell me are you just getting by, by, by?_

_Where there is desire_

_There is gonna be a flame_

_Where there is a flame_

_Someone's bound to get burned_

_But just because it burns_

_Doesn't mean you're gonna die_

_You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_You gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

_Gotta get up and try, and try, and try_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=yTCDVfMz15M**

**Or search… 'Try by Pink'**

"Ladies and Gentlemen… Pink!" Dermott exclaimed. "9 years we've been doing this show. What's taken you so long to come on it?"

"I don't know. Thank you so much for having me." She said.

"Oh it was our pleasure. So the album's out now. Are you going to be touring here soon?"

"Yeah, I think we're touring here in April."

"Good stuff. I think we're all looking forward to that. One more time, give it up for P!nk! All right, you have been voting on behalf of our 4 remaining acts for the past 24 hours. We thank you for that but lines are now CLOSED. Please don't call in now. It's too late for your vote to be registered so don't. Very soon we will know the lineup of the final and I've just heard that over a million of you have voted in the past 24 hours. Thank you so much for supporting our acts but this is it. Lines and closed and the results are in. It's time to find out which three acts are through to the final and who's going to be leaving tonight. So please welcome back the judges and their acts."

"Gary and the one remaining over 28… Christopher!"

"Louis and the one remaining group… Union J!"

"Tulisa and the one remaining girl… Ella!"

"And finally, Nicole and the one remaining boy… Finn!"

"OK, it's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the three acts going through to the final. As you know, no final showdown so the act with the least votes will be leaving immediately. In no particular order, the first act through to the X Factor final is… Finn!"

Finn leapt into the air in celebration.

"YES! COME ON! COME ON!" Finn shouted, punching the air in celebration. Nicole was just as happy and excited as he was.

"I'm so proud of you, dude." Nicole said as she hugged him. Finn then took his place on the podium side stage as one of three finalists.

"Joining Finn in the final next week is… Christopher!"

Well, Union J were out. Unless there was another massive shock and Ella was eliminated instead, which was technically possible. The audience were clearly thinking the same as Finn and some of them even started to boo him.

"Congratulations, Chris. Congratulations, Gary. Two acts have made it through. Only one more is guaranteed a place in the final. Union J, Ella. The third and final act through to the X Factor final is… Ella!"

Ella and Tulisa both screamed in delight and at this point, Finn and Christopher walked over to where she and Union J were standing so that they could hug and congratulate Union J for getting so far in the competition. Even though they didn't make the finals, Union J were surely going to be a name to watch out for in the future. Finn, Ella and Christopher then moved to the side so that Union J could have their quick exit interview with Dermott.

"Well boys…" Dermott said to the boy band. "I've gotta be honest. You've been telling me all day that you're going home. Josh, how do you feel?"

"Um… I'm so happy. We're so happy with how well we've done. We've got so much to thank the X Factor for." Josh said.

"And we'd like to wish the three in the final best of luck. They're amazing, and they're some of our closest friends now." JJ added.

"So, through to week 9, through to the semi finals. That's gotta be a great springboard for you. Louis, are you disappointed with the result?"

"Well, you know, I'm a little bit disappointed but we were ready for it. But you know what? They're going to have an amazing career. They're the next big boy band!"

"OK, well, we don't have much time. What was the highlight for you?" Dermott asked.

"Um… just meeting everyone. Being on this show has been our dream for our entire lives and being here right now performing… I can't even describe how amazing it's been."

"Well thank you so much. You've been absolutely brilliant. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Union J!"

Union J waved to the cameras and walked off stage for the last time. The finals were set. Finn vs. Ella vs. Christopher. One of them would be claiming the title of X Factor champion.


	120. Chapter 120

Finn, Ella and Union J spent practically the whole night celebrating and partying in a nearby nightclub. It was an amazing final night and a great final hoorah with Union J. However, the fun ended abruptly at 7 am the next morning, when Finn felt the end of his bed being kicked.

"Finn! Get up!" He faintly heard Nicole. Finn groaned and slowly got out of bed and rubbed his eyes.

"Nicole? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Wow! You look like crap!" She laughed. Finn rolled his eyes. They had just gotten in at 5 am so Finn had only really gotten 2 hours of sleep, and he was still wearing the clothes he was wearing from the night before.

"Whatever. What's up?"

"We've gotta start preparing, Finn! The finals are in 6 days and we have to prepare 4 songs, two of which are supposed to be duets. Also, me and you are going to Lima on Wednesday for your hero's welcome and your homecoming concert so we lose about two days there."

Finn leapt out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom to get dressed. 10 minutes later, Finn and Nicole were on their way to the studio. They were being driven in an SUV by one of the X Factor drivers, and Finn was so thankful for the tinted windows that blocked out the sun. Nicole noticed his discomfort.

"So what exactly happened to you last night?" Nicole asked, curiously. Finn laughed.

"I'm sorry. What happened with the semi finalists stays with the semi finalists. All I can say is that it started with Ella, Jaymi and I competing against Josh, JJ and Jacob at who can handle more tequila shots and it ended with you roughly kicking me awake."

"Wow, sounds like a fun night." She remarked. "So, let's get talking about your songs for the final. They have to be epic."

"No! Really? I was planning on singing Itsy Bitsy Spider." Finn remarked sarcastically. Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, like I said. 4 songs. The first can be anything you want. The second is a mentor duet so you and I are dueting."

"Wait! I get to duet with you?" Finn asked, incredulously. Nicole nodded. "Well, that's going to be nerve wracking."

"It'll be fine. And that's probably the least stressful of the four performances. You've also got a duet with a mystery celebrity, and then of course, your winner's single."

"So the winner's single and the first song is a solo of anything I want right? Like no theme?"

"Yeah, that's right." Nicole confirmed.

"And the mystery duet? What's going on with that? Who am I singing with?"

Nicole beamed widely.

"Well, you Mr. Hudson are a popular man. I sent out a note to a bunch of my friends and asked who would be interested in singing with you. They told their friends, and then their friends told their friends, and so on and so forth. Moral of the story is you have half the industry wanting to sing with you."

"LIke who? Hit me with some names." Finn asked. Nicole took out her phone.

"Well, here are just the names at the top of the list. There are plenty more. First off, Ed Sheeran was very keen. Also, Camila Cabello, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Calum Scott, Bruno Mars, Labyrinth, Emile Sande, Charlie Puth, One Direction."

"Jesus, that's so many people!" Finn exclaimed. "They all want to sing with me?"

"I'm just getting started, honey! There's also Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Ellie Goulding, Michael Buble…"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Finn said, raising a hand. "Buble wants to sing with me?"

"Yeah, he was very interested actually. He's a real cool guy too, and I think, with the right song, you two could put on an amazing performance. Although technically, your winner's single is meant to be your best song, the audience cares more about the celebrity duet so it has to be epic. So Buble?" She asked. Finn grinned and nodded.

"Hell yeah! And now for the song. I kinda want a song that shows that I'm here, and I'm about to take the music industry by storm. The era of Finn is beginning." He said. Nicole thought for a moment and then smiled.

"Oh, so like it's a new dawn?" She asked, smirking. Finn, not catching onto her stride yet, nodded obliviously.

"Yeah, exactly."

"A new day?" She asked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Um… yeah, we just agreed about that." Finn remarked.

"A new life for you?" She persisted. Finn finally caught onto what she was hinting at.

"No, no, no, no, no. And did I mention no? And also, no. I'm not… I'm not."

"Come on, dude! You'd do great!"

"Look, Nicole, I'm all for taking risks. But that's a bit much even for me. I can't risk screwing it up. There's too much to lose."

"Come on! You're singing with Buble! What else are you going to sing?"

Finn thought for a moment and then reluctantly sighed and nodded.

"OK, fine. I'll do it."

Nicole's face lit up. Before she could say anything more, they pulled up at their destination. Finn looked out the window and at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Um… Nicole? Where are we? This isn't the studio." Finn remarked.

"Wow, how astute of you to point that out." She remarked, rolling her eyes. "This is not the X Factor studio. This is the Radio 1 studio. You and I have a quick interview with them. Then we can get right to work, I swear."

Finn smiled and nodded. He loved interviews. It made him feel like his life was actually interesting and people around the world who were watching genuinely cared about what was going on in his life.

"OK, let's do it."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Forty minutes later, Finn and Nicole were sitting opposite Grimmy and the interview just started.

"Good morning everybody. I hope everyone listening is having a great day so far. With me today are two very special guests. We have X Factor finalist Mr. Finn Hudson and his mentor, Ms. Nicole Scherzinger! How's it going guys? Finn, how did it feel to make it to the finals?"

"Well, it was just incredible. All of the hard work I've done, not just in the past nine weeks, but my whole life, has actually paid off."

"That's good. Congratulations, by the way. You know what? You know how they do those sob stories in the media where they talk about the present and past of various celebrities and the hardships they went through?"

"Yeah, what about them?" Finn asked.

"Well, I don't know if I'm heartless or something but I never cry at them. But the thing that set me over the edge with yours was your skype to your friends to tell them that you were through to live shows."

"And did you see when his best friend came in and surprised him?" Nicole piped in. "Oh my god, she tackled him! Real love!"

"Yeah, real love right there." Grimmy agreed. "How are all your friends feeling? They must be pretty excited. How was it telling the family and speaking to them after you got through?"

"Oh, it was overwhelming. I called them the minute I got off stage. And I'm going to see them soon so I can't wait for that. I'm just so glad they actually feel proud of me now."

"Did you ever think when you started, when you went to that first audition, that you'd be able to make it this far?"

"This far?" Finn asked. "No. No way. I thought that the furthest I could possibly get was to the judge's house round. What I was thinking about was how many thousands of people had auditioned and how lucky I'd be to get through that first audition. It was just a sense of acceptance when all four judges gave me a standing ovation and told me that I was good at what I do."

"And Nicole, how is it mentoring Finn?"

"It's amazing, not going to lie. We have so much fun messing around with all the equipment in the studio, but we also buckle down and get the job done. And he was a fantastic artist before we even got him. He has everything. He has all the tools. And for me, it was just about protecting him, you know? Because he brings such integrity to music and real authenticity. He's so original and really puts his thumbprint on everything he does and I wanted to make sure that we didn't conform him."

"Right, and make him do a dance routine or something?" Grimmy chipped in. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, we tried the dance shoes but it didn't work. You just have to, with raw talent like that, play to his strengths and not make him camouflage into the same web as all of the other pop stars in the world. He's different."

"It's quite good that you had someone like Finn, but also someone like Rylan. So you had such different acts."

"Yeah, and Jahmene too! Three completely different voices."

"Right. I guess you could do all that traditional, X Factor silliness with Rylan and let Finn be Finn. Finn, were you ever tempted to slip into a pair of Rylan's neon slacks?"

Finn laughed.

"Everyday, man. Everyday. It was great having Rylan around because A: he's an amazing influence and morale booster. And B: it gave me and Jahmene the chance to just sit there and pretend we're cool."

"Yeah!" Grimmy laughed. "I like that you and Rylan struck up an unlikely friendship."

"Well, I mean he's such a nice guy. Polar opposite to me, but that's what makes hanging with him so fun."

"Yeah, I love it because all three of my boys were all completely different but they were all really close." Nicole added.

"Right, and how is it feeling towards the final? You've got 5-6 days. Are you going to go home and do your hero's welcome tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's going to be really exciting!" Finn exclaimed. "All of my old high school friends and a bunch of Army buddies all flew into Lima for it. I'm coming home and I'm so excited."

"And I'm going to Lima!" Nicole exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"You're way too excited." Finn laughed. "If I'm totally honest, the place is kind of a dump."

"Wow, that's reassuring given that I'm the one coming with you tomorrow." Nicole remarked, sarcastically.

"So, where are you going to take Nicole in Lima?" Grimmy asked. Finn shrugged.

"I mean, like I said, there isn't much to see. I can show her the bar I used to always play at, my old high school, my old bedsit. She can go pretty much anywhere she wants, but if we're going into my old neighborhood, it's best we have some security with us. It's a pretty rough neighborhood and Lima is already a very rough city."

"Again, you always know just what to say!" Nicole commented, rolling her eyes. Finn laughed.

"And the final on Saturday and Sunday. I know you're doing the Sunday duet with Nicole (provided you make it to the Sunday round), but who are you doing the mystery duet with?"

Finn and Nicole looked at each other.

"Well, we actually just decided in the car on the way over here. I'm going to leave it a surprise but all I can say is that it's going to be the best performance I've ever done."

"And will you be nervous dueting with Nicole the next day, given that she was your mentor?"

"Yeah, it's nerve wracking! It's Nicole Scherzinger! When live shows just started, I could barely look any of the judges in the eye because I was so overwhelmed that there were so many musical icons just walking around casually in the hotel. And I feel like as the weeks have gone on, Nicole's become not just my mentor but also one of my closest friends. But at the end of the day, it's still a massive pop sensation!"

"You know, as nervous as you might be, trust me, I am so much more nervous!" Nicole exclaimed. "Because, Grimmy, in case you haven't noticed, that man is kinda genius." She said, pointing at Finn.

"Well, Finn and Nicole, good luck to you on Saturday. We can't wait to see what you have in store. And thank you so much for coming in."

"Thank you so much for having me." Finn said. "I've been on this show twice now - first with the Secret Busking and now with this interview - and it's been so amazing. I never imagined that I'd be speaking on National radio."

"Well, I feel like we haven't seen or heard the last of you. Thank you so much for coming in. That concludes our segment. Have a great day everyone. Drive safe."


	121. Chapter 121

**Tuesday - 5 days to the Final**

It was 6 am on Tuesday morning and both Finn and Nicole were already in the studio. They knew that Christopher and Ella were going to put on superb performances on Saturday so Finn needed to do something very special to cement his place in the Sunday final. The way the final worked was that the voting lines would open half an hour before the start of the final. Then, each of the three acts would sing their opening solo and their mystery duet. After everyone had finished their two performances, there would be a final hour for fans to vote before voting lines would close. At around 8 pm on Saturday, the three contestants would be invited back on stage and Dermott would announce the two acts with the most votes who would be proceeding to the Sunday final, and the one act who would be going home on Saturday night. Then, on Sunday, the two remaining acts will perform their mentor duets, as well as their winner's single which, if they win the competition, will be released as their debut single with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Music.

"All right. Let's start with the first song." Nicole said. "It can be literally anything you want, but it has to be incredible."

Finn thought for a moment.

"Actually, I did have an idea. Why don't I take a page out of Rylan's book?" Finn asked. Nicole raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"You mean you want to wear neon clothing and dance to Spice Girls songs?" Nicole remarked. Finn chuckled and shook his head.

"No, not that part. Definitely not that part." Finn laughed. "I meant doing a mashup/medley of some songs. I haven't done that yet in the competition and go big or go home, right?"

Nicole nodded.

"That could be promising. Did you have any songs in mind?" She asked. Finn nodded. He grabbed his guitar and walked over to the loop station that was at the corner of the room and plugged it in.

"I'm just going to use the loop station for now because I don't want to waste precious time making a studio backing track. That's fine, right?"

"Yeah, that fine. Show me what you've got, Finn." She smiled, sitting back in her chair. Finn played through his performance and at the end, she jumped to her feet and cheered and applauded.

"YES! Let's do that!" She exclaimed. "That was awesome! And just what we'll need to edge past Ella and Chris!"

Finn smiled and let out a sigh of relief. One hour into rehearsal and he already had his first song.

"Cool, let's do it. What would you suggest for the backing track?" Finn asked. Nicole shook her head.

"No, no, no. When I meant let's do that, I meant with the loop station." She explained. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, you want me to perform the biggest performance of my life with equipment that's meant mainly for informal jamming, rather than using the whole recording studio of equipment we have at our disposal?"

"Yeah. It's different, it's epic, it's as live as you've ever been. I don't see any problem with it. In fact, I think using the loop station would actually be better. I can say with certainty that nobody has ever done something like that in the final. We might as well be the first."

"OK, I trust you. You got me this far so clearly, you know what you're talking about." Finn said. "Let's do it."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Nicole and Finn spent the next 5 hours perfecting his performance and because there was no studio recorded backing track, 5 hours was all they needed. Finn knew every chord, percussive hit, and note in the whole medley and Nicole didn't know what else they could do to prepare for it.

Instead, they spent the afternoon working on their mentor-mentee duet. Nicole had such a powerhouse of a voice while Finn's was quieter but more soulful, so it was a struggle finding a song that didn't wash out his voice as at the end of the day, Finn was the one in the final. They went through power ballads, R'n'B songs, pop, rock and literally every song under the song with no success. Finally, at around 7 in the evening when they had almost given up for the night, Nicole found something.

"How about this one?" Nicole suggested. Finn looked at it, thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. Oh my god, this song brings back memories. I also sang this as a duet in the Regional show choir championships in my junior year of high school 9 years ago."

"With your girlfriend?" Nicole smirked. Finn laughed and shook his head.

"No, the opposite. I hated the girl I sang it with. She was the worst. She's actually the anonymous source who told my backstory to the press. You know, the crap that was written about me when live shows were just starting."

Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, what a bitch!" Nicole remarked. "Why would she do that? Was she an ex or something?" Nicole asked. Finn laughed. He loved how Nicole was genuinely interested about his personal life. She wasn't just a mentor - she was also a really close friend. After all, they were spending at least 60 hours a week together and had been for the past 15 weeks.

"God no! I've dated two girls in my whole life and she definitely isn't one of them. No, she definitely wasn't an ex."

"Hold up. Let's go back a bit. You've only had 2 girlfriends in 26 years?" She asked, incredulously.

"Yeah." Finn admitted, blushing.

"But you're so attractive! What's the point?" Nicole joked. Finn rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I mean, there never was a really good time to be dating. I was homeless up until age 14. I then was very mentally scarred between the ages 14-16. Then my first relationship didn't end too great. She got pregnant and then only started dating me so that she could sleep with me and then pretend the baby was mine when she had already taken a positive pregnancy test before we slept together."

"Yeesh, that's harsh! How long did it take you to find out?"

"Too long." Finn sighed. "Almost halfway through the pregnancy. She scammed me out of 15000 bucks. And that's not even the worst part. Apparently, all of my so-called friends found out less than a month into the pregnancy and didn't tell me so I would still perform with them at their Sectional show choir competition."

"Wow… that's inhumane. That's gotta be illegal or something!" Nicole exclaimed.

"You're telling me, Nicole. Yeah, so after that, I wasn't about to jump into a new relationship. Then, my mom died and I ran away to Hawaii. I wasn't about to be dating anyone there either. Then came senior year where I started dating girlfriend number 2."

"This is the one you loved? Bella, right?"

Finn sighed.

"Yeah." He replied. "But then I joined the army for 6 years while in a long distance relationship. Oh, and you were asking about Rachel? She had a crush on me briefly during sophomore year, but that quickly turned to hating me."

"How?"

"She was kinda jealous to be honest. She was used to being the star of the show choir but then I came along as the new kid and I consistently showed her up. In high school, we had a tournament to determine the best singer in the Glee club and I won in both Junior and Senior year. And I would get all the best solos in the big competitions."

"Right, but that would explain a high school rivalry. Would she seriously be so better that she hangs onto that grudge 8 years later?"

"Well, something you should know about Rachel is that she is the most pathological, over-competitive, type-a person in the world. From pretty much before she could walk, she knew that she wanted to star on Broadway. That didn't quite pan out. She never got the main role she was looking for and in the two supporting roles she got, she was fired for a bad, immature attitude towards her directors and other actors."

"Wow, she sounds like a tool." Nicole remarked. Finn laughed.

"She was. A very over-privileged one too. She had to move back in with her dads in New York because she spent four years in a performing arts college but can't hold a job on Broadway. Right now, she's still living with her dads. She gets the occasional role as an extra in off-Broadway plays, but that doesn't nearly cover rent, hence living in her parents' basement in Queens. She currently works as one of those really low-level data entry people that live in those miniscule cubicles, endlessly typing in numbers for 12 hours a day. And according to Santana, she doesn't even have a boyfriend or anything - unsurprisingly. She just goes from the crappy job to her parents' basement every day."

"That's a pretty sucky life." Nicole said. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, and after everything I went through in the army, still living my dreams and becoming the celebrity which she would die to be… she was very bitter, hence why she went to the press to write shit about me. Obviously, she didn't know about the Army stuff but the child-abuse stuff and the rest of the expose: all her."

"That's so rude! No wonder she was fired by those Broadway directors!"

Finn laughed.

"You know what I should do? I should send her a ticket to the final. I'm sure she'd love to watch her least favourite person in the world compete in front of millions of people in the final of the biggest singing competition on the planet!"

Nicole giggled.

"Yeah, you should totally do that! You just reminded me. How many tickets do you want for the final? You can invite as many people as you'd like."

Finn opened his backpack and took out a list. A week ago, he had asked his friends who would be interested and to his surprise, everyone he invited wanted to come. Santana, Mercedes, Quinn, Tina, Brittany, Harry, Liam, George, Artie, Sam, Puck, Mike, Kurt and Mr. Schue all wanted to come to support him, and he was going to spitefully send Rachel an invite. Nicole quickly skimmed the list and she looked up at Finn.

"You're not inviting Bella?" She asked, surprised. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know. Should I? I don't want to put her in an uncomfortable position, but on the other hand, I don't want to invite everyone BUT her. We've been broken up for 3 years."

"And may I ask why?" Nicole asked. Finn shrugged.

"I had been 'dead' for two years. My mental health wasn't great. I wasn't about to burden her with it."

Nicole knew that wasn't the actual reason. She had gotten to know Finn very well after the hundreds of hours she had spent with him and getting emotions out of him was like prying teeth, but she had still managed to break through the walls he built around himself.

"But you loved each other, right? Unconditionally? Wouldn't that mean that she was well aware of your mental health issues and could probably help you more than anyone else in the world?"

"Nicole, you don't understand. I was protecting her." Finn said.

"Finn, could I tell you my observation?" Nicole asked, gently.

"Yeah, sure." Finn nodded.

"I think you wanted to break up." Nicole stated, boldly. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about? I loved her." Finn argued. Nicole nodded.

"I'm not denying that. In fact, I think that was part of the reason you broke up with her."

"OK, you've confused me now. What are you saying?" Finn asked.

"Finn, this is just my opinion but I think that you were scared. Scared because everyone you ever loved is dead. Your mom, your dad, Carole. You knew how much it hurt to lose someone you love, and you didn't want to hurt again on the rare occasion that something happened to Bella. I think that's the reason you even joined the Army in the first place."

Finn shook his head.

"You're wrong. I enlisted for the benefits. Health insurance, college tuition payment." Finn said. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"And did you end up even going to college?" She asked.

"Um… um… I… um…" Finn stammered.

"Thought so." Nicole replied. "And anyways, you had other opportunities. You could've gone to college on a football scholarship. You were one of the top prospects and you were even approached by LSU early in the football season but you rejected them and told them to spread the word to other colleges that you weren't interested in any offers."

Finn's jaw dropped. That was a secret that not a soul in the world knew but him.

"How did you…"

"My cousin, he's a recruiter for Texas Tech. When you first appeared on the X Factor, my cousin recognised you and called me up. Apparently, they were very interested in you, before you rejected them all of course. Then, a week after your first audition, I got a very interesting phone call from Simon Cowell himself, telling me that he himself offered you a record deal when you were still in high school. You told him that you had committed to the military but when I checked military records, the last set of forms you needed to sign before your enlistment was confirmed were signed by you three weeks after Simon offered you the record deal."

"Since when are you Nancy Drew?" Finn mumbled.

"It didn't take long. I have quite a few connections. Anyways, that's besides the point. The point is that you had at least two ways but you didn't take them. Instead, you enlisted. You thought Bella would break up with you when she found out, but to your surprise, she stuck by you. And that just made you love her even more. You had lost the opportunity to break up with her when you enlisted, and then when you came back from the dead, the opportunity was right there. You took the easy way out. You run from your problems, dude. You ran away from your abusive dad, - which I definitely don't blame you for - you ran to Hawaii when your mom died, you ran back to Lima after your discharge. You don't face your issues and because of that, you don't get what you want or deserve."

"What's your point, Nicole?"

"My point is that you're not going to be with a girl like Bella if you keep running. So you should invite her. Here's one more ticket. She doesn't have to say yes but in case she does…"

Finn took the ticket and put it in his pocket. He then stood up.

"All right. It's been a long day, so I'm going to get going. Same time tomorrow, right?"

"Yup, you got it! Good night, Finn."

"Good night."

Finn walked down the corridor of the studio and, turning around to make sure Nicole wasn't watching, threw the extra ticket in the garbage before walking Nicole. Nicole, who was hiding at the corner of the corridor and had seen everything, sighed. For such an outgoing, flexible person and musician, he was truly stubborn as an ox when it came to emotions. But Nicole was his mentor. Her job was to look out for his best interest and be his eyes when he wasn't seeing the full picture. She needed to do something…


	122. Chapter 122

**Wednesday - 4 days to the final**

"Hey, Nicole." Finn said.

"Hey, Finn." Nicole replied. It was 6 o'clock in the morning yet again, and they had so much to do that day.

"So, what's the plan for today, Nicole?" Finn asked. Nicole smiled.

"Well, we have a huge day today. We are going to be recording and working on your winner's single for most of the day. Then, at 5, Buble's coming in and we're rehearsing your mystery duet. We have to get this all done by the end of today because we're leaving for Lima tomorrow morning, and we won't be back until Friday afternoon, but even on Friday, we won't have time to produce anything. It'll just be sound checks and stuff."

"OK, sounds good. So winner's single now. That's pretty big. It needs to be good because if I win, this song is actually being released, right?"

"Yup, and chances are it'll be the Number 1 Christmas single, so we need something awesome. I was doing some thinking last night, and I realised something." Nicole said.

"What?" Finn asked.

"Well, I noticed that your strength is making dance songs into slower, soulful numbers. You did it with Young in your first audition; you did it with No More Drama; you did it with Diamonds. So I was thinking we do something along the same lines. How about Shontelle's Impossible?"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to lie. I'm not a fan of that song at all." Finn laughed. Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, neither am I. But trust me when I say this… I think you could do an incredible job."

"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't like the song. There's no time to try out the song and change it. We've got one shot."

"Finn, honestly, I know you. And I know the kind of music you sing. I guarantee you that it'll be something you enjoy by the time we're done."

Finn thought for a moment. In the music industry, Finn would trust Nicole with his life, so he reluctantly nodded.

"OK, I trust you. But this better not bite me in the ass."

Nicole beamed and clapped her hands.

"Oh, it won't. Now let's get started!"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

**4 pm - 10 Hours Later**

" _Impossible!_

_Impossible!_

_Impossible!_

_Impossible!"_

Finn finished singing the final note of the single. They had spent 7 hours on the backing track and the past three hours recording the vocals over them because although Finn would be singing karaoke for the final, if the single was released, it would obviously include his vocals!

"OK, fine. You were right. This does actually sound good." Finn said, smiling faintly. Nicole beamed widely.

"Good? That's number 1 single quality!" Nicole exclaimed, giving him a hug. She sniffed back tears and Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay? Are you crying?" Finn asked, confused.

"Well, kinda. That song was so emotional! That final chorus…" Her voice trailed off. Finn smiled.

"You know, that's three times my performances have made you cry. I'm starting to feel kinda bad." Finn commented. Nicole laughed.

"I don't know what to say. There's just something about you. You've been an absolute joy to mentor. You are, by far, the best singer and person I've ever had the pleasure to work with, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for after this competition." Nicole said.

"Damn it, Nicole. Now you're going to make me cry!" Finn exclaimed. "But I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me over the past 15 weeks. You've not only helped me grow as a singer, but you've helped me evolve as a person too. In fact, you… you saved my life."

"Huh?" Nicole asked, confused. Finn sighed.

"Before the competition, I was in a bad place, and I was genuinely thinking about doing some stupid things. I was about to once, but my friend ran in and stopped me. Then, I actually was about to try again the day before my mobile audition for the show but I passed out from the nerves before I could. Chances are, if I got eliminated at the judge's house round, I would've tried again."

Nicole grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.

"Well, you know all the times you thought about giving up? You didn't." Nicole said, simply. "And now, you're fulfilling your purpose and you have your life back. And you're going to kick some Christopher ass on Saturday and Ella ass on Sunday!"

"Well, you never know. Christopher could be in the Sunday final. He does have a large fan base." Finn remarked.

"Yeah, him and his massive bank account." Nicole replied, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, you know about that too?" Finn asked, laughing.

"Well, duh! Everyone does! It was in the papers for Christ's sake!" She exclaimed.

"True, but you never saw the master in action. The other finalists and I saw him once. He was in the dressing room, and he literally had 4 phones on the go at once. It was like he was playing some intense-ass mobile game."

Nicole laughed.

"Well, eventually, he's going to run out of money."

"Yeah. I just hope it's before Ella or I are eliminated."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a man walked in. Finn's jaw dropped… It was Michael Buble! Finn's jaw dropped and he was speechless and motionless but Nicole on the hand walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Michael! How's it going, man?" Nicole asked.

"Pretty good. I'm pumped to be here. Nice to meet you, man." Buble said, walking over to Finn. A moment later Finn finally got over his shock and shook hands with the superstar.

"Oh my god! It's so amazing to meet you. I'm such a huge fan." Finn said. Buble laughed.

'Yeah, I'm a huge fan of you too. I've been watching your journey and when Nicole asked if I would be interested in performing with you, I wasn't about to pass up that chance."

"Well I can't thank you enough. Man, this is going to be fun!" Finn exclaimed, rubbing his hands together apprehensively.

"Damn right it is. So did you have a song in mind? I think we don't have to do one of my songs if you don't want to, right?"

Finn and Nicole looked at each other.

"Well, we kinda thought of a song. We were thinking of… **(Lol y'all gotta wait till the final to see what they sing)** "

Buble smiled.

"Ooh, this is going to be good." He said.

"OK guys. Enough chit chat. We've gotta get to work."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

5 hours later, Finn was exhausted. He had been singing for the past 15 hours straight and he had pretty much completely lost his voice. However, he was overall extremely satisfied. His winner's single was absolutely breathtaking, his duet with Nicole was gorgeous, and his duet with Michael Buble was on another level. Finn and Michael Buble's voices blended together incredibly well. Unfortunately, Buble had to leave at 9 pm, so it was just Finn and Nicole left in the studio. Finn and Nicole were just listening to Finn's winner's single on repeat, occasionally making small tweaks and changes. Nicole noticed Finn fidgeting uneasily with something around his neck.

"What's that?" Nicole asked. Finn sighed and took off the chain around his neck. Nicole instantly recognised it as a military dog tag, connected to the actual star of his medal of honor.

"I've been contemplating throwing it away for the past little while. I just can't bring myself to do so." Finn said, quietly.

"Finn, that's a medal of honor! Why would you throw it away?"

"Exactly. A medal of honor - a medal given for distinguished acts of bravery. I shouldn't have this. I don't deserve this. I'm not brave."

"Of course you are, Finn."

"No, I'M NOT!" Finn suddenly bellowed, hurling the medal across the room. He then stormed over to it and started stomping on it repeatedly.

"Finn! Finn!" Nicole shouted, running over to him. "What's going on?"

Finn didn't say anything. He just collapsed on the ground and started crying. Nicole had no clue what was happening, and she wasn't about to ask. She just slid to the ground next to him and held him while he sobbed. After a while, his tears subsided and he started to talk, his voice still shaking.

"I had a baby sister." He said, quietly. "When I was really young."

"What?" Nicole asked gently. "I thought you were an only child."

Finn shook his head.

"She was my best friend in the whole world. Two years younger than me."

"Where is she?" Nicole asked.

"She died 20 years ago today." Finn murmured. Nicole gasped.

"How did she die?"

"Lymphoma." Finn replied.

"How old was she?"

"7 when she died." Finn took a deep, shaky breath. "We caught it too late and she was pretty quickly hospitalised. Her getting cancer was another reason why my father became more abusive. But that story about me being thrown into the coffee table and going to the hospital… that's bullshit. The real story is that I was visiting her in the hospital for the first time and seeing her so weak and fragile rather than her bubbly, lively self… it broke me. That's the reason I ran away. She died a year later I think. I wasn't there when she died, and I didn't even come back for the funeral."

"What was her name?" Nicole whispered.

"Biz." Finn replied, quietly. "Biz Farrow."

Both of them stayed silent for a moment. Tears were running down both Finn and Nicole's cheeks.

"I told you, Nicole. I'm not brave. I'm the opposite."

"You know… you drown not by falling into the river, but by staying submerged in it."

"You don't get it!" Finn snapped. "I deserved to be submerged in it! No, I deserved to be submerged in fucking molten lava!"

"No, Finn, you don't! You made a decision that saved your life. You would both be dead right now if you hadn't done what you did, and that's even worse!"

"No, you don't fucking get it! I loved her more than anyone or anything. She was not just my sister: but also my best friend, my singing buddy, my sports buddy. I remember we used to play house, but she'd somehow convince me to be the mom and her the dad. She'd make me dress up in all of her fancy dresses and put makeup on me. I didn't care though. I would have done literally anything to make her happy back then. I even took every single blow for her when our father was being abusive. But after all of that, I wasn't even there with her when she died."

Nicole didn't know what to say.

"Finn, you're not a bad person. You not being there at the end because it was too painful only shows how much you loved her. You don't have to be superman. Everyone has their flaws. But I'm sure your sister knew how much you loved her, even if you weren't at her deathbed with her. And you know what, after the competition, you'll have a platform to raise awareness for child cancer research, and earn enough money to donate to other child cancer victims. Your sister is not the only child who has suffered from this."

"Yeah, I know. Back in high school, I used to go during the Christmas break and spend some time with the kids in the pediatric cancer ward. We'd sing songs, I'd dress up as Santa and stuff. I feel like I'll feel much better if I can donate more than just my time."

"Well, as you probably know, every last thing counts. I'm sure you made all of those kids' Christmases. And if you want to really help others, you've gotta screw your head on straight and come back fighting and win the competition. We're going back to Lima tomorrow. I'm sure you're excited for that!"

Finn smiled faintly.

"Yeah, I am. I'm also very tired so I think I'm going to head out now. I'm sorry for snapping and yelling at you like that. You're amazing, Nicole, and I don't know what I'd do without you. See you tomorrow morning."

"See you tomorrow, Finn. And remember what I said. You are a good person, no matter what you seem to believe."

"Thanks, Nicole." Finn said, and he walked out of the room.


	123. Chapter 123

**Thursday - 3 days to the final**

Finn woke up early the next day and smiled to himself. He was going back to Lima today! He leapt out of bed, got ready and ran down to the lobby of the hotel by 8 am. The hotel was a pretty lonely place now with pretty much all of the contestants gone. But it's not like Finn had a lot of time to mess around with the other contestants anyways. He couldn't wait to go back home and it was going to be extra special that Nicole was coming with him. In addition, he was also playing a homecoming concert in Lima, and apparently, the 20,000 tickets had sold out within an hour. He was going to be performing in a sold-out concert by the Town Hall!

When Finn walked into the lobby, Nicole was already waiting for him. She stood up and smiled at him as he walked over to her.

"Finn! How'd you sleep?" She asked.

"OK, I guess. I'm really excited to go home today!" He exclaimed. Nicole smiled.

"Yeah, and I can't wait to see where you used to live!"

"Ha, you're in for a rude awakening when you see where I live." Finn remarked. "So what time are we leaving?"

"We can leave anytime between now and 12. We're taking a private helicopter and it's not like we're on a strict schedule."

"Ok, that sounds awesome."

There was a brief silence between them for a moment.

"Finn, about last night…" Nicole started but Finn cut her off.

"Nicole, please. Can we talk about it after Sunday?" Finn asked. Nicole nodded.

"Yeah, sure." She replied. "Right now, our next stop is Lima!"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

3 hours later, Finn and Nicole were in the helicopter on their way to Lima. Finn was bursting with excitement at this point. Going back home after so long, especially under these unbelievable circumstances, was so amazing.

"Are you excited?" Nicole asked.

"Oh, come on! You're just excited because you're dropping in in a helicopter!" Nicole laughed. Finn chuckled.

"Damn right!"

Lima was absolutely buzzing about Finn's arrival too. Practically the whole town was out on the streets, awaiting his arrival. People from neighboring cities such as Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, etc. even made the journey out in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rising star and his mentor.

"Look at all the fans!" Nicole exclaimed, pointing to the ground outside the chopper. Finn looked out the window and his mouth dropped. She was right. He could see thousands of people on the ground, waving signs, banners and posters supporting him. The helicopter then started hovering over the town hall - which had been barricaded in preparation for his concert there that night - and started slowly descending downwards until they landed with a small 'THUMP' on the ground. Immediately, fans rushed over but couldn't get too close due to the barricades.

"Dude, are you ready?" Nicole asked. Finn smiled and nodded.

"Hell yeah." Finn replied. They opened the doors as they stepped out of the helicopter.

The best word to describe what he felt in that moment would probably be… overwhelming. The second he stepped out of the plane, he was greeted by cheers and screams from a frenzy of fans. There were people of all ages present: young children, teenagers, adults and elderly people were all there, but what they all had in common was their love for Finn and his music.

Arriving in Lima in a helicopter was insane. With Nicole Scherzinger by his side, getting off the helicopter to a frenzy of screaming fans - it was just crazy to think that it was all for him. Being away for so long made him miss his friends and the dump of a city so much.

Their first stop was McLaren's Pub, where Finn used to play all of his acoustic gigs. There were so many people in the streets. He couldn't quite believe that there were so many people out there. The bar and the street around it was absolutely packed with excited people. There was luckily already a barricade set so him and Nicole could walk into the bar freely as he knew that if there wasn't, they would be absolutely mobbed by the fans. Once they got out of the car, they were greeted once more by the racquet of all the fans. Up ahead, at the entrance of the bar, Finn spotted a number of familiar faces and he smiled. He walked up the two people who were allowed to stand at the entrance of the bar and he hugged them tightly.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Finn! It's been so long, dude!" George said.

"Yeah, too long!" Santana added. Finn smiled as he hugged Santana.

"Hey, shut up, Santana! You got to see him 4 weeks ago!" George exclaimed. "Which reminds me, Finn. I have a bone to pick with you. How come you said Santana was your best friend?" He demanded, jokingly.

"OK, fine. My best friend who lives in the country. You're my best friend, George." Finn laughed.

"Hey! Woah! Hey!" Santana said, indignantly.

"Oh, shut up, guys!" Finn laughed. "Oh my god I missed you guys so much!"

"We missed you too." George said.

"Finn, this is amazing. All these people… they're here for you. We're so proud of you. You deserve this."

"Thanks, San."

At that moment, Nicole walked up beside him and they entered the bar. The bar was more than at its maximum capacity. People were packed shoulder to shoulder, trying to shake hands with him, pat him on the back, ruffle his hair… anything at all. Finn somehow managed to walk over to the elderly bartender who was watching, amused, as Finn fought his way through the crowd to get to him.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. The famous Finn Hudson." He stated.

"Hey Red. How's it going?" Finn asked.

"Not too bad. Not everyday one of my employees and friends becomes a nationally well-known superstar."

"Haha. Oh, Nicole, this is Red." Finn said, turning to Nicole beside him. "He's the man that convinced me to audition for the show in the first place. I have him to thank for all of this."

"Yeah, you do! And I haven't yet received my rightful 50% of all your earnings because of it!" Red joked. "Anyways, nice to meet you, Ms. Scherzinger."

"Nicole." Nicole corrected. "And I also have you to thank. Thanks to you, a star has been uncovered."

"Yeah. I guess it's safe to say you're handing in your two week's notice, huh Finn?" Red said. Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Oh, do you want to sing a song? I'm sure everyone would love it!" Red exclaimed, pointing to the stage where Finn stood countless times and performed on.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go right on ahead."

With the hundreds of eyes in the bar on him, Finn slowly stepped on stage and sat on the chair that was already there.

"Hey guys." He said into the microphone as he took out his guitar. "For those of you who don't already know me, I'm Finn Hudson."

The whole bar started cheering and screaming the second he started speaking. Finn was taken aback.

"Wow, hello!" He laughed. "Yeah, so I actually used to work here. I used to perform on this stage night in and night out. I actually recognise a fair number of the regulars' faces. Pete, how's it going buddy?" Finn asked, waving at a gentleman who was in the middle of the crowd. He was one of the bar's regulars and Finn really liked him because he always slipped Finn a bit of extra money.

"So basically, I was very poor. I had no money and um… I wanted to be a singer. I wanted to be a songwriter and I was just on my own path, probably not going to get anywhere because I had no support or management or anything. Then, one day, I was sitting in this very bar, in the corner booth right over there, and I had just had a few beers then my bill came. I opened my wallet and then I realised that I literally had no money. I needed to pay my tab so I asked Red, the amazing bartender who pours all of your drinks. Yeah, give it up for Red!" Finn said, clapping. Everyone cheered and clapped with him.

"Yeah, so I asked Red if he'd be able to spot me for the twenty dollar tab. He said no, because I had actually done that literally every week. He'd been paying my tab pretty much every time in the past month, and he was kinda tired of it. Eventually, he gave me an offer. He told me if I auditioned for the X Factor, he'd cover my tab for the next week."

The fans realised where he was going with this and started cheering.

"At the time, there was an X Factor mobile audition truck in Lima, and Red told me to go audition for them. I was like why not? It didn't cost anything to audition, and it meant a free week of drinks. So, I joined the back of that queue, and the first thing I saw where a bunch of these really pretentious, snooty people with their vocal coaches, doing these vocal warmups that I'd never ever heard of. I thought to myself what the hell am I doing here? I was so tempted to just ditch the audition and tell Red that I did it and got rejected so I'd still get the free drinks."

Everyone laughed. Red rolled his eyes at him and Finn winked.

"But I didn't. I performed for the mobile audition guy, he liked me, he fast tracked me to the TV auditions. And I performed this song…"

_Oo-ooo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_We're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_Oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh, oo-oo-oo-ooh_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

_I've made a lot of mistakes in my past_

_But I refuse to live there, nah_

_I saw a lot of hearts break in the past_

_But I refuse to go there, agh_

_It hurts too much, I'm looking for a crutch_

_I'm looking for just any girl, just for a touch_

_I let myself go, I let my angst out_

_And when I let myself down I just swag it out_

_Uh, uh, baby girl I'd like to dance_

_Uh! But I'm just looking for a brief romance_

_What's wrong with that? I´m young, forgive me_

_I live fast, die a legend, Whitney_

_Oh, oh we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us for what we have done_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young, we're young, we're young_

_Uh, yeah_

_And if I die, would you try, would you walk on by_

_I bet the latter, sometimes it feels like nothing really matters_

_It's okay though, I drive one hundred on the straight roads_

_Back to hell again, it feels like something heaven sent_

_Something not important, and it somehow got a boy_

_Said it was atomic, and I just realised what it all meant_

_Amen, and you can bring the chorus in._

_Amen, oo-ooh_

_Forgive us for what we have done_

_Coz we're young, we're young, we're young_

_I said forgive us for where we come from_

_'cause we're young_

_Oh we're young, we're young, oh_

_I said forgive us, forgive us, forgive us, forgive us_

_Oh no, oh no, oh, no_

_Oh we're young, oh we're young._

At the end of the song, the whole bar screamed and cheered. After saying goodbye, Finn and Nicole's next stop was his old bedsit. It was a real eye opener for Nicole.

"Come on in." Finn said as he unlocked the door. Nicole gasped as she looked around at the tiny apartment. The first thing she noticed was that there was no bed, no table, no dishwasher, none of that.

"Oh my god, this is where you lived?" Nicole said.

"Yeah. This was my home."

They sat down on the sofa and began to chat.

"Wow, I haven't been back here in so long." Finn remarked, looking around. "It's really strange being here."

"Did you have some hard times here?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, quite a lot of hard times."

Nicole stood up for a moment and nearly fell over a broken floorboard.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, apologising profusely because she thought that it was her who broke the floorboard. Finn laughed.

"Oh, no, that was always broken! That's where I keep all my valuables." Finn said. He pried open the floorboard with a random meter stick that he kept around for this very reason, and he took out a small wooden chest.

"Oh my god! That is like your safe?" She asked. Finn nodded.

"Yup, these are all the important stuff I have. Complete with this chest. I took this box when I ran away from home so I'd be able to lock my valuables in a small, easy to travel with location. This stuff is like the only important stuff I have." Finn said, opening the box. He started taking out various items from the box and showing them to Nicole. The first was an envelope with a bunch of photos inside.

"Oh my god! Look at you! You look so young!" Nicole laughed as she looked through the pictures that he had of him from high school. "Wow, you look so different! You've changed a lot!" She said.

"In a good way I hope." Finn chuckled.

"Oh yeah. My homie Hudson looks good now, but back then, you didn't look nearly as good." Nicole remarked. Finn rolled his eyes.

"Gee thanks." He replied, chuckling. Finn took out a bunch of random papers and passports and set them on the table before coming across something at the very bottom. He slowly took out a small black box that Nicole instantly recognised as a ring box.

"Is that a…" Nicole's voice trailed off. Finn nodded and popped open the ring box, revealing a gorgeous engagement ring.

"Yeah, I didn't know I still had this." Finn said. "I haven't seen it in 3 years."

"Were you going to…"

"Yeah. I bought it during my VT right before I was supposed to be discharged. Then my final mission went wrong so I never ended up needing it."

"Finn, I'm so sorry."

"Whatever. Could you please help me pack all this shit up?" Finn asked. Nicole nodded and picked up the chest. As they packed up the small chest, Nicole glanced sideways at Finn. She could tell how much her friend was hurting, and it absolutely killed her. Her job as her mentor was to be able to help him when he didn't know how to help himself, and not knowing how to help him made her feel like she was failing at her job. Well, she knew how to help him. She would just have to do some class A meddling…


	124. Chapter 124

**Thursday Afternoon - 3 days to the final**

Finn and Nicole left the bedsit shortly after. Nicole had to go and sort some things out regarding Finn's concert that night, so Finn carried on alone. He anyway only had one more stop before his concert that night: McKinley High. Finn was going back for a reunion with the Glee club. As he sat in the car and was driven to the school, he was followed by practically the whole town on foot. Luckily, there were, once again, barricades set up to keep out crazy fans.

When Finn walked onto the grounds of McKinley, a flood of memories cascaded through his mind. He crossed the field and thought about that hilarious conference final when the Glee Club had to step in and play because the rest of the football team went on strike. He looked at the bleachers and smiled, reminded of all evenings Bella and Finn would be kept late because of Glee and how they would sometimes ditch Glee and come up to the bleachers. As Finn walked those halls after 9 years of not coming back, it didn't feel nearly as good as he thought it would. It felt like something was missing. Or someone. Forcing a smile on his face, Finn knocked on the door and walked into the choir room…

To Finn's surprise, there were so many people in the choir room! The whole Glee club (minus Bella) were all sitting down in their usual seats, grinning at Finn.

"Hey guys! How's it going?" Finn asked, smiling at them.

"Son of a bitch, it really is you! It isn't some random dude that looks like you!" Harry exclaimed. Finn laughed and hugged all of them.

"What are you all doing here?" Finn asked.

"Well, we wanted to have a New Directions reunion with you actually here with us for the first time. And we're all flying to New York tomorrow to watch you in the finals, so don't worry about that." Quinn said.

"How are you all? I kinda saw you the day of my first audition for the show but I wasn't really focusing on you guys, so I really haven't caught up with many of you for almost a decade. What have I missed?"

"Well, let's see…" Puck said. "Mercedes and Sam are engaged…"

"Oh really?! Congratulations, you guys!"

"Thanks, dude." Both Mercedes and Sam said.

"San and Britt are still together." Puck continued. "Kurt and Blaine (that Warblers kid) are still together, Liam and Harry are still living in the frigid north in Toronto, Mike and Tina broke up right after high school but got back together during our 5 year reunion, which by the way, none of us saw you at…" Puck joked. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I was a bit busy. You know, sleeping, eating, and OH YEAH… fighting for our country." Finn responded, rolling his eyes. Puck laughed.

"So yeah, that happened. Artie is now living in L.A and has a decent job as an assistant screenwriter for some minor TV shows. Oh, and George is moving to New York to…"

"Be closer to Quinn. Yeah, I guessed." Finn cut Puck off, finishing what he thought Puck was going to say.

"Wait, what? I was going to say he was moving to New York to be the NYU football coach. What about Quinn?" Puck asked, interested. Everyone, in fact, leaned in to listen to what Finn had accidentally let slip. George and Quinn's faces dropped. So much for keeping their relationship secret, they thought.

"What, seriously? You guys didn't know?" Finn asked, surprised.

"No, they didn't. And how did you, given that we haven't seen you in ages?!"

Finn shrugged.

"Come on. If you wanted to keep your relationship secret, you should have tried harder. Both of you have been exchanging glances at each other."

"That doesn't mean anything." Quinn scoffed.

"You want to dig a little dipper, Fabray? Okay. Your lipstick shade is literally on the side of George's mouth. Oh, and bad job trying to cover up that hickey which just 'happens' to be the exact same size as George's mouth."

Everyone looked at Quinn and George, amused.

"You know, Finn? Up until this morning, I was so excited to see you again. Now, I'm kind of regretting that!" George exclaimed.

"Stop trying to avoid the questions." Tina snickered. "Just tell us!"

"OK, fine. Maybe, recently, George and I started a long distance relationship and when he got that job offer, it gave us the opportunity to be in the same city as each other and we can truly see how we are in an adult, mature relationship." Quinn said.

"Wait, how long have you two been together now?" Kurt asked.

"6 months." Finn, George and Quinn all said at the same time. Quinn and George turned to Finn.

"OK, how could you possibly know that?" Quinn asked, laughing.

"Well, you guys suck at hiding stuff. 6 months ago, on the same day, both of your Facebook status' changed to say that you both were in a relationship, but neither of you specified with whom. That meant that you were with someone that everyone would make a big deal about. So, probably an ex. You two dated in high school so it can't be a coincidence."

Nobody spoke for a moment. Everyone just grinned at George and Quinn.

"Finn, I think it's safe to say that we all missed you so much, and we're so proud of you for what you managed to achieve in both the Army and in the music industry." Mr. Schue said.

"Yeah, you're awesome, Finn. We wouldn't come from all over the continent for just anyone and come back to Lima for a day, and then all go to New York for the final. We are all invited to the final, right?" Mike asked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I have as many tickets as I want. Speaking of which, are you guys coming to my concert tonight?"

"Duh! Of course we are!" Liam exclaimed.

"Dude, I still can't believe you sang I'm Sexy and I Know It in one of the biggest singing competitions in the world!" Puck laughed.

"What can I say? The judges liked it." Finn replied.

"Hey, what was it like performing with One Direction? That must have been so cool!" Kurt exclaimed. Finn spent the next couple of hours just catching with his friends. He had missed them so much and although it was great seeing them, it just made him miss Bella more. Her name did come up a few times, but the subject was always quickly changed for his benefit.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

At 8 pm, it was time for the concert and all 30,000 people present were buzzing outside the town hall. Finn and Nicole were a good distance away, and when they drove into the concert, Finn's jaw dropped.

"Wow." was all he could muster. He was used to performing in front of crowds due to the X Factor but the difference was this time, every person in that concert arena was a Finn Hudson fan.

"This is a taste of what's to come, homie!" Nicole exclaimed.

Finn then went on to perform his homecoming gig in front of what he could only describe as an epic crowd. As he walked down the long aisle in the middle of the arena on his way to the stage, he signed a couple of autographs, smiled in a couple of selfies, and accepted numerous hugs. People were practically piling on top of each other to get close to him at this point.

Once they were at the front, where the microphones, speakers, etc. were set up, Finn and Nicole quickly went backstage.

"You ready, buddy?" Nicole asked.

"I'm kind of nervous, not gonna lie." Finn replied.

"You'll be fine. You're awesome. And besides, I feel like with the crazy fans out there, nobody will even notice if you make a mistake."

Nicole's point was emphasised by the 'WE WANT FINN!' chant that was ringing through the crowd. Finn nodded.

"OK, let's do this." He said, and walked on stage, his guitar in his hand.

"What's up, Lima?!" Finn shouted. The crowd screamed in delight. "How are you all doing, tonight? You good?" Finn asked. Their cheers answered his question. "Well, I just want to thank you all for coming, and for voting for me every week. I wouldn't be where I am right now without each and every one of you, so thank you."

"WE LOVE YOU, FINN!" They all screamed. Finn spied his friends in the front row of the arena and he smiled at them.

Finn proceeded to open his set with his emotional cover of Young by Tulisa - the song he auditioned for the show with.

"Ok, I don't know if you guys remember but I was in the bottom two a couple of weeks ago." Finn said. The crowd all booed in disapproval. "Yeah, boo!" Finn laughed. "Not good. But hopefully, with the support of all you lot, I can win this thing, so pick up the phone and vote, okay? Anyways, I was in the bottom two, and I sang this song."

Finn sang his gorgeous acoustic cover of Shine a Light by McFly. It was probably his favourite song he had performed all series - bar his original one of course.

_Tell me are you feeling strong_

_Strong enough to love someone_

_And make it through the hardest storm_

_And bad weather_

_Will you pull me from the flames_

_Hold me till I feel no pain_

_And give me shelter from the rain_

_Forever_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Tell me can you hear my voice_

_Loud and clear above the noise_

_And even if I had the choice_

_I would not give up_

_Where can I find her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_She took the light and left me in the dark (eah)_

_She left me with a broken heart (eah)_

_Now I'm on my own_

_If anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, eh shine a light on her_

_Eh, eh, if anybody sees her_

After Shine a Light, Finn went straight into his next song without saying anything. It was the most light hearted song he had sung in the competition - Sexy and I Know It.

_Oohh...ah_

_When I walk on by, girls be looking like ''oh, he's fly!''_

_And I'll pimp to the beat, walking on street in my new la freak, yeah!_

_This is how I roll, animal print pants out of control_

_It's a Red Foo with a big afro and just like Bruce Lee, rock out the club_

_Oh! oh! girl! look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, this is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, show it, show it, show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh, i'm sexy and i know it!_

_Ooh.. yeah!_

_When I'm at the mall, security just can't find them all_

_When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo, trying to tan my cheeks,yeah_

_And this is how I roll. Come on ladies, It's time to go_

_We headed to bar, Baby, don't be nervous_

_No shoes, no shirt, I still get service!_

_Oh, oh girl, look at that body! 3x_

_I...I...I... workout_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_When I walk on the spot, This is what I see_

_Everybody staring, they staring at me_

_I got passion in my pants, and I ain't afraid to_

_Show it, Show it, Show it, Show it_

_Ooh, I'm sexy and I know it!_

The girls in the crowd were cheering particularly loudly at this point. He had always known that he was a relatively good-looking guy but ever since joining the X Factor and being professionally remade by hair and wardrobe specialists, Finn looked like one of the hottest men in the country.

"Thank you. Thank you everyone." Finn said above the crowd's cheering. "You guys are absolutely amazing! I love you all! My next song is also very special to me because I actually wrote it myself. I sang it last week, I don't know if you all remember."

The crowd roared louder than ever.

"Wow, okay. I guess you do!" Finn laughed. "Yeah, so I wrote the song myself. It's called Sign of the Times."

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_Welcome to the final show_

_Hope you're wearing your best clothes_

_You can't bribe the door on your way to the sky_

_You look pretty good down here_

_But you ain't really good_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_Your bullets, the bullets?_

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Just stop your crying_

_It'll be alright_

_They told me that the end is near_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Just stop your crying_

_Have the time of your life_

_Breaking through the atmosphere_

_And things are pretty good from here_

_Remember, everything will be alright_

_We can meet again somewhere_

_Somewhere far away from here_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_Just stop your crying_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We gotta get away from here_

_Stop your crying_

_Baby, it'll be alright_

_They told me that the end is near_

_We gotta get away from here_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_The bullets, the bullets?_

_We never learn, we've been here before_

_Why are we always stuck and running from_

_Your bullets, the bullets?_

_We don't talk enough_

_We should open up_

_Before it's all too much_

_Will we ever learn?_

_We've been here before_

_It's just what we know_

_Stop your crying, baby_

_It's a sign of the times_

_We gotta get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to get away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

_We got to—we got to—away_

After Sign of the Times, Finn was so in the zone that all of his songs kind of blended together. It was like he was so comfortable and doing so well that his mind had left his own body. As Finn was standing on stage, getting ready to sing his final number, he saw someone in the audience in the audience that he never expected to see. It was Bella! But he blinked twice and she was gone. Oh well. Maybe he was seeing things, he thought. NO! He tore his mind away from the blonde that had been dominating it for so long and focussed on ending the set with a killer number.

"So, I've got one more song for you guys tonight. As you know, I'm so, so happy to be where I am today. But I definitely wouldn't be where I am right now if it weren't for one woman and that's Nicole Scherzinger."

The crowd all screamed and cheered. Finn smiled at Nicole, who was watching from backstage.

"Yeah, Nicole's just been the best mentor I could have ever asked for, and I sure as hell wouldn't be in final if it weren't for all the effort and hard work she's put into helping me grow as a singer. So would you guys like to see me duet with Nicole Scherzinger in the final song tonight?"

"SCHER-ZIN-GER! SCHER-ZIN-GER! SCHER-ZIN-GER!" The crowd started chanting her name. Finn smiled at her, and she smiled back and walked on stage. The crowd exploded at the sight of the mega star. Nicole hugged Finn and the two of them took their places on stage. Although they hadn't formally planned for Nicole to come on stage and sing with him, for the past few weeks, Finn and Nicole had been spending some of their free time working on an acoustic cover of one of Nicole's songs so Nicole knew exactly what they were about to perform. Finn nodded at her and she nodded back. Finn then started strumming his guitar.

_The world spit me out and I was spinning around, lost in a free fall_

_Forever going down, and breakin' through the ground_

_When I thought I reached the end, I start to fall again_

_But I was taught to never surrender when it's hard to get up_

_Gonna fight till I can stand and say_

_Oh, you can turn me down, you can throw me now_

_The harder out, the harder I come back around_

_You can break my heart but you can't scratch my name_

_I can take the hit cause I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

_Now I'm 10 feet tall, all my problems feel so small_

_Nothing in my way to make me change_

_No ceiling to my sky, just open space to fly_

_Every time I'm feeling down, I turn it back around_

_But I was taught to never surrender when it's hard to get up_

_Gonna fight till I can stand and say_

_Oh, you can turn me down, you can throw me now_

_The harder out, the harder I come back around_

_You can break my heart but you can't scratch my name_

_I can take the hit cause I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

_Even though I'm flying high, the sky can change one day_

_I could hit some turbulence, but who I am is never gonna change cause I'm a boomerang_

_Cause I'm a boomerang_

_Cause I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, you can turn me down, you can throw me now_

_The harder out, the harder I come back around_

_You can break my heart but you can't scratch my name_

_I can take the hit cause I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

_Oh, whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa I'm a boomerang_

At the end of the song, not a single person in the 30,000 person arena was quiet. They were all cheering for Finn.

"OK, thank you so much for having me. It's been so much fun to perform for all of you tonight, and make sure you vote for me on Saturday! Every vote counts! I love you all and goodnight!" Finn said and him and Nicole waved to the crowd and then walked off stage. The second they were off stage, Nicole pulled him into a hug.

"You did it, buddy! You were awesome!"

She was right. The second Finn was off stage, chants of "ENCORE!" echoed around the jam packed arena.

"Yeah, thank you. I feel I did well. And if that's any indication…" Finn said, gesturing to the arena, where the shouts were still going.

"Well, you know what they say… give the people what they want! You should perform one more song!"

"Am I allowed?" Finn asked. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"You're not in school anymore, you nerd! You're a singer. You can do literally whatever the hell you want."

"OK, Imma do one more song." Finn said, nodding. Nicole smiled.

"Hell yeah!" Nicole smiled. Finn walked back on stage and he literally almost covered his ears so to not get deafened by the screams and shouts of delight coming from the audience at the sight of him.

"What's up everybody?! I'm back!" Finn exclaimed. "You guys were amazing tonight so I decided to sing you guys one more song. So, two months ago, I got the opportunity to perform alongside 4 VERY talented young men. They're in a decently famous band. One Direction. Maybe you've heard of them?"

Everyone cheered and screamed.

"So I got the chance to perform with them in Boston and it was one of the best moments of my entire life. Unfortunately, I don't have them with me today because I think they're in Mexico right now, but I'm gonna sing one of my favourites by them."

_Oh, I just wanna take you anywhere that you'd like_

_We could go out any day, any night_

_Baby I'll take you there, take you there_

_Baby I'll take you there, yeah_

_Oh, tell me, tell me, tell me, how to turn your love on_

_You can get, get anything that you want_

_Baby just shout it out, shout it out_

_Baby just shout it out, yeah_

_And if you,_

_You want me too_

_Let's make a move_

_Yeah, so tell me girl if every time we_

_To-o-uch_

_You get this kind of ru-u-ush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

_Oh, baby, baby, don't you know you got what I need_

_Looking so good from your head to your feet_

_Come on come over here, over here_

_Come on come over here, yeah_

_Oh, I just wanna show you off to all of my friends_

_Making them drool down their chinny-chin-chins_

_Baby, be mine tonight, mine tonight_

_Baby, be mine tonight, yeah_

_And if you_

_You want me too_

_Let's make a move_

_Yeah, so tell me girl if every time we_

_To-o-uch_

_You get this kind of ru-u-ush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow (c'mon)_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

_And let me kiss you_

_And let me kiss you_

_And let me kiss you_

_And let me kiss you_

_C'mon_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Yeah, so tell me, girl, if every time we_

_To-o-uch_

_You get this kind of ru-u-ush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Every time we to-o-uch_

_You get this kind of ru-u-ush_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_If you don't wanna take it slow_

_And you just wanna take me home_

_Baby, say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_And let me kiss you_

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I'm really done now. Goodnight everybody!"


	125. Chapter 125

**Friday - The day before the final**

After the concert, Finn and Nicole went to an amazing afterparty in McLaren's that lasted until the early hours of the morning. With all the special treatment he was getting, Finn felt like a real pop star. The next morning, they had planned to leave for Manhattan at 11 am but Finn woke up a couple of hours earlier. There was something he needed to do. Something he should've done so many times before but always avoided. He needed to visit someone.

Finn slipped out of the hotel unnoticed by the city around him. He got into his car and drove to the place where he was going to visit the person. Buying a bunch of flowers on the way, Finn parked the car ten minutes later. He stepped out and walked into the cemetery…

Finn cut across the field to the corner of a vast meadow and sat down next to a headstone.

"Hey mom," Finn said, speaking to the gravestone. "It's been a while. Almost nine years ago. I'm sorry I haven't come to see you at all. It's been a… busy couple of years. I miss you so much." He murmured. "So I joined the Army. It was both the best and worst decision I ever made. It showed me strength, resilience and hard work that was rivalled only by my life as a homeless person. But it tore my life to shred. It ripped apart my relationship with the people I loved… well, the person I loved."

Finn took a deep breath.

"I need help, mom." He whispered. "I need help. I'm untethered to this world. It's like I'm living life but not really living. I thought it would be easier once I escaped from captivity as a POW, but honestly… honestly, sometimes I wish I was still there in that prison cell. I escaped from one hell, only to transfer to an even worse one. I don't know how to live anymore. Every day, I wake up and it feels like my heart is frozen. I can't live like this for the rest of my life. I can't."

Finn's hands shook slightly.

"I need your help, mom. I need a sign. Please, mom, send me a sign of what I should do." Finn begged. "Something. Anything!" He cried to no avail. Of course she wasn't going to answer. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back. "But I can't kill myself. I can't do the thing I resented my birth mother so much for doing. That would make me just as bad as her. At least I know how she was feeling. She rathered be in hell in the afterlife than be in an even worse hell on Earth."

Finn rarely ever thought of, let alone mentioned, his birth mother. As far as he was concerned, she was no longer family. Her position as Finn's mother ended when she hanged herself.

"Anyways, I'm performing the biggest performance of my life tomorrow. Singing is like the one thing I can do to cope and if I get a record deal, I'll hopefully be out of this town forever, so I guess this is quite possibly goodbye. I love you and I miss you so much. Bye, mom." Finn whispered, laying the flowers down and walking away from the cemetery.

He drove back to the hotel in silence and he was back before Nicole had even woken up so there was no trace of his visit. Finn and Nicole flew back to Manhattan at 11 on the dot, and they were back by 2 in the afternoon for the soundchecks and final preparation. When Finn made it back to the hotel in Manhattan, he walked up to his room and threw his bags on his bed. There were literally only 3 rooms occupied out of the 15 on their floors, and all three of them were missing their roommates. It was so lonely to walk down the corridor of the hotel and not see his friends. But there was no time to dwell on that as it was time for the three finalists to do their sound checks.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Hey, hey, hey," Finn said, sitting down in the audience section of the stage next to Ella as Christopher did his soundcheck. The soundcheck was very different to every other week as they had transformed the Garden into its concert capacity by opening it up and adding extra seats, making the total capacity 40,000 instead of the usual 10.

"Hey, dude," Ella said, looking up and smiling at him. "How was your hero's welcome?" She asked.

"It was really cool. What about you? You were in Arizona, right?"

"Yeah, it was awesome! I got to see my family and friends which was pretty cool."

"Yeah, me too," Finn said. "So, you excited for tomorrow?"

Ella shook her head and laughed.

"Not really because let's face it, it's basically me against you on Saturday. Christopher has a guaranteed place in the day after's final." She remarked. Finn shrugged.

"I mean, you never know. If a hundred thousand people vote for each of us, to even it out, Christopher will have to pay a hundred thousand dollars which he obviously won't do. It could be us in that Sunday final."

Ella smiled.

"That's true. So, who are you singing with for your mystery duet tomorrow?"

"You first!" Finn replied.

"OK, I am dueting with… Beyonce!" Ella exclaimed. Finn wolf-whistled.

"Damn! That's gotta be really good! What song are you doing? Halo? Listen?"

Before Ella could answer, she was called up to do her soundchecks.

"I guess you'll see tomorrow." Ella said as she walked away. Finn smiled but on the inside, he was worried. He knew that tomorrow would probably end up being him vs. Ella for the final spot in Sunday's final and her singing with Beyonce was a scary thought.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

After their soundchecks, Finn, Ella and Christopher drove back to the hotel where they were greeted by a pleasant surprise… All of the finalists were standing in the lobby of the hotel when they walked in! The three finalists walked over to them and were immediately mobbed by their friends.

"Guys, what are you doing here?" Ella asked as she hugged her friends.

"We're here for the finals!" Jade exclaimed. "All of the finalists are invited. And besides, we have to sing the group performances altogether on both Saturday and Sunday."

It was 7 in the evening at this point and everyone was getting hungry so they decided to all go out for dinner at Nobu. The 18 finalists all sat together on one long table. Finn was at one end of the table,, squished between Ella and Josh from Union J, and had Jade and Rylan opposite them.

"So, Ella, Finn, are you guys ready for tomorrow?" Rylan asked them.

"Honestly, not really." Ella replied. "We had to learn 4 songs in 4 days. We had to work like 15 hours a day. It was hella rough. I must say, I'm actually kind of glad this competition's almost over." She said.

"I totally agree!" Finn exclaimed, laughing.

"Why?" Jade asked, confused. She was eliminated in the third week of the competition so she never really got a chance to see how stressful it got.

"Well, as the competition went on, there was more of everything. More songs to learn, more interviews to do, more photoshoots, more everything. Honestly, the best way to describe the past few weeks is probably… traumatic." Finn said.

"Like don't get us wrong: we're so thankful for this competition and everything it has done for us. But once it's over, and our careers actually start, it'll be a bit of a sigh of relief, and we'll be able to take our foot off the gas a bit." Ella added.

"Yeah. This probably makes us sound so ungrateful. Trust me, nobody is more grateful for this than I am. I finally might be able to move out of my crapsack of an apartment and buy a better place. This competition has changed my life, but it has also been the most stressful ten weeks of my life. And I served for 7 years!" Finn said.

"Anyways, you guys are going to be great. We can't wait to watch you." Rylan said.

"Thanks." They replied. Suddenly, the whole table's food arrived. It took pretty much every server in the restaurant to carry all 18 of their meals. Before they ate, Rylan stood up.

"Listen up, everyone. Why don't we hear a few words from our three finalists? Wait a second… Where's Chris?" He asked, looking down the table.

"He went back already to get some rest before tomorrow." Kye replied. Rylan checked his watch.

"It's literally 8:30. Whatever. Finn, Ella: you guys got anything to say?"

"No, not really. Finn?" Ella said. Finn laughed and stood up and raised his glass of champagne.

"Um… Good food, good meat, good God, let's eat, am I right?!" Finn exclaimed, and everyone laughed. "No, but um… on a serious note, I want to thank all of you guys for making the past 10 weeks so amazing for me. As you guys know, my background is slightly… different to yours, but you all made me feel welcome here, and now, you guys are some of my best friends. We all came from different places and I feel like nobody at this table expected to be sitting in the VIP booth of Nobu in Tribeca. A very wise man called Drake once said… 'started from the bottom now we here.'" Finn joked. "I love you guys. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" They all chanted in reply and they tucked into their meals. The rest of the night flew by for them. It was quite possibly their last night they would ever spend together and they were all going to miss each other so much. In ten weeks, they had gone through more than average people go through in a year. At 11 pm, Finn and Ella retired to their rooms to get some rest before their big performance the next day. As Finn closed his eyes, he thought of his winner's single and how compatible the lyrics of the chorus were to his life. His current problem with the song was that he had no emotional attachment to it but now that he realised how remarkably similar it was to his life, he was going to crush it on Sunday! He just had to make it through Saturday first.


	126. Chapter 126

**Saturday - Day 1 of the Final**

The next morning, Finn woke up at 9 am and opened his phone to find 'Good Luck' messages from literally everyone he knew. That's when he remembered: the Final was today! All of his work in the past ten weeks (hell, his whole life!) culminated in this moment. It was hands down the most important performance of Finn's entire life.

He went downstairs for breakfast and as he expected, Ella was the only one present. Christopher had already eaten and the rest of the finalists were pretty hungover so weren't awake yet. Finn slid into the booth opposite Ella and she smiled at him. One thing that made the nerve wracking performance a bit later was that he wasn't worried about sabotage or hate from his competitors. Ella was one of his best friends and he knew that whoever won the competition, there wouldn't be any hard feelings between them.

"Hey." Finn said.

"Hey, man. How'd you sleep?" Ella asked.

"Better than I thought I would. I thought I'd be hella nervous, but honestly, I'm more excited than anything else."

"I know right!" Ella exclaimed. "Like when will I have the chance to perform with Beyonce in front of 40 thousand people ever again?"

"Yeah, so true. And if you told me 5 years that I'd be performing Feeling Good with Michael Buble in the final of the biggest music competition in the world, I'd probably tell you to fuck off and go away to be honest."

Ella laughed.

"Kinda true, not gonna lie. Wait… you're singing Feeling Good with Buble?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah."

"Ooh, that's tough. It could go really well or horribly badly. Like really badly. Like being booed by the whole arena bad."

"Wow, that's just what I needed to think about." Finn remarked. Ella laughed.

"Oh I'm sorry!" Ella exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"It's cool."

After breakfast, all three finalists were ordered on vocal rest until the evening, so it was pretty interesting for Finn to try to communicate with his friends when he was handing them their tickets. Eventually, the clock struck 5 and it was time to get ready…

First up was the hair and wardrobe studio. All 18 of the contestants were in the hair salon at the same time. Finn was sitting in between Jade and Kye so he listened in to the conversations they were having with their respective barber/hairdresser, unable to contribute to much as he had to keep talking to a minimum.

"So Jade, how was it to be back?" The hairdresser asked her.

"It's really, really good. I'm so happy to be back with everyone. It's a great atmosphere."

"So, who did you miss the most?" The hairdresser asked.

"Um… I'll have to say Finn and Ella, but I love everyone."

"Finn, what do you have to say about that? Seems like some people actually missed you!" The hairdresser joked. Finn blew an air kiss at Jade in reply.

"So, Finn, you feeling good?" His barber asked.

Finn nodded in reply, still not speaking.

"You excited?" He asked. Finn gave a thumbs up in reply and they turned to Kye who was chatting with his respective barber.

"So Kye, what was your highlight of your X Factor journey?"

"Probably meeting everyone and all the fun times we had. Finn, Union J and I had really fun late night poker games. I loved those."

"Finn, Ella and Christopher are in the final tonight. Who's your money on?"

"Well definitely between Finn and Ella and I don't care which of them. I don't care because I know they're both going to do absolutely amazing and it doesn't matter at this point. They're both GOING to get countless record deals after the competition so they're just playing for pride at this point."

Their hair finished shortly after so they all changed into their performance clothes. They would all be performing the group number together, and there would be some guest superstars performing, but it would obviously be Ella, Finn and Christopher ruling the show.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"America, this is it! Your X Factor final starts right here in New York City!" Dermott exclaimed. The finalists were all backstage, ready to perform their group number to open the evening up with a bang. "2018 has been a year of great finals but for Ella, Finn, and Christopher, this is the big one. They've seen off thousands and now it's a three way battle and what a contest! They have to sing the performances of their lives to win, which means impressing the canniest, sharpest, ballsiest judges of them all. It's all down to YOU. In twenty four hours, your votes alone will decide the winner of the X Factor 2018! But first, I know that in 3 weeks time, a man will be dropping down your chimney to deliver you all presents but in case you can't wait until them, I have four beautifully gift wrapped presents for you all. It's the X Factor judges!"

The four judges, dressed in their most formal wear, walked on stage for the penultimate time and took their place at the oh so familiar judges' table.

"All right. Let's kick things off with a bang. New York get ready, America get ready, with flashing lights and a whole lot more, it's the X Factor live finalists!"

**Rylan:**

_We, we don't have to worry 'bout nothing_

_'Cause we got the fire, and we're burning one hell of a something_

_They, they gonna see us from outer space, outer space_

_Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race, human race_

**Union J and District3:**

_When the light started out they don't know what they heard_

_Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world_

_We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky_

_'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire_

_Yeah we got the fire, fire, fire_

**Lucy:**

_And we gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_Gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

**Melanie:**

_We don't wanna leave, no. We just wanna be right now (right), r-r-right now_

_And what we see is everybody's on the floor acting crazy, getting loco 'til the lights out_

_Music's on, I'm waking up, we fight the fire, then we burn it up_

_And it's over now, we got the love, there's no sleeping now, no sleeping now, no sleeping_

**Union J:**

_When the light started out they don't know what they heard_

_Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world_

_We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky_

**Kye:**

_'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire_

_Yeah we got the fire, fire, fire_

**Jahmene:**

_And we gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_Gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

**Jade:**

_When the light started out they don't know what they heard_

_Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world_

**All:**

_We gonna let it burn burn burn burn (burn burn)_

_Burn burn burn burn (burn burn)_

_We can light it up, up, up_

_So they can't put it out, out, out_

_We can light it up, up, up_

_So they can't put it out, out, out_

_We can light it up, up, up_

_So they can't put it out, out, out_

_We can light it up, up, up_

_So they can't put it out, out, out_

_When the light started out they don't know what they heard_

_Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world_

_We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky_

_'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire_

_Yeah we got the fire, fire, fire_

**Finn, Ella and Christopher:**

_And we gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_Gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

_We gonna let it burn, burn, burn, burn_

**All:**

_When the light started out they don't know what they heard_

_Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world_

_We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky_

_'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire_

_Yeah we got the fire, fire, fire_

_And we gonna let it burn_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… your X Factor live finalists and your final 3!" Dermott shouted over the cheers of the 40,000 people in the arena. "Final 3, how are you feeling. Finn, what an arena for you. How are you feeling, mate?"

"Absolutely honored to be here. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has voted for me in the past and is voting for me tonight."

"And Ella, what is it like for you?"

"It's exciting. It's really exciting. I'm just excited to perform." Ella replied.

"And Christopher, how are those nerves holding up?"

"Um… okay. Just about, just about. But this is the best experience of my life. I feel so humbled and grateful to be here."

"All right everyone. Give it up for your X Factor final 3!"

The three finalists walked off stage together and into the greenroom, while the other 9 acts when and took their seats on the balcony VIP level of the arena.

"What a big night for those three! So, if you want to have your say in any of their performances, get involved by voting on behalf of your favourite. Every vote counts and it could mean earning your favourite competitor that prestigious $1 million record deal. Now, after a short break, the performances will commence…"


	127. Chapter 127

_**CHAPTER 127** _

"Ladies and Gentlemen… first up for tonight is Tulisa's one remaining act. She's a little star. It's Ella Henderson!" Dermott exclaimed.

_There ain't no reason you and me should be alone_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_And I got a reason that you're who should take me home tonight (Tonight)_

_I need a man that thinks it's right when it's so wrong_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_Right on the limits where we know we both belong tonight_

_It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous_

_I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you_

_Where we can both fall far in love_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_Out on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you._

_Another shot before we kiss the other side_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_I'm on the edge of something final we call life tonight_

_(Alright! Alright!)_

_Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_It isn't hell if everybody knows my name tonight_

_(Alright! Alright!)_

_It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous_

_I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you_

_Where we can both fall far in love_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_Out on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you._

_I'm on the edge with you_

_I'm on the edge with you_

_(You, you, you...)_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you (with you, with you, with you, with you, with you)_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=dqvO4xc9lgQ**

**Or search… "Sam Bailey Edge of Glory"**

"Ella! You're in the final! And you know why? It's because you've got the talent." Louis said after her performance. "I believed in you since day 1 when you sang that original song. You've got so much soul and it was incredible to watch you grow as both a person and as a singer. I hope people vote for you at home because I want to see you here again tomorrow night."

"Thank you." Ella said.

"Ella." Nicole said. "I remember your first audition and you were this young, shy girl. Timid soul. And then you stepped on stage and blew us away. I remember your bootcamp audition and how you almost had a panic attack right before. But now, you're on stage in Manhattan, in front of 40,000 people and millions more watching from home. You look confident, you look strong and you deserve to be here. Enjoy every minute. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you. Thanks." Ella said, beaming at the judges. The audience were still buzzing about her incredible performance.

"Well done, Ella." Gary said. "Listen, I'm not going to dwell on this. For the last ten weeks, you've really shown everyone what a brilliant singer you are. You've consistently come out and performed amazingly. There was lots and lots of production tonight - with the dancers and staging and all - but I only watched you. I wasn't distracted by any of it so that says a lot. Well done."

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Gary." Ella replied. One more judge and it was her own mentor, Tulisa.

"My little Ella… it's so good to see you up there dancing, staying loose while still putting on an incredible vocal performance. That's a way to open up the finals! Amazing!"

All four judges had given her stellar feedback - well deserved of course - and now it was time for her quick chat with Dermott before she could walk off stage.

"Wow. You've gone from being that shy girl from Arizona to being a massive star. Ella, you're here performing for 40,000 people. We shouldn't really focus on what the judges are saying because at the end of the day, it's going to come down to the audience's opinion. How was that for you, opening up the show for us tonight?"

"That was insane!" Ella exclaimed. "I'm just glad to do an uptempo track and just let loose."

"It was great to see you move around the stage a little! Did you enjoy that?"

"Yeah, you know, it was really fun. Maybe the splits tomorrow if I make it?!"

"That would be funny. Tulisa, would you like to say something."

"Yeah." Tulisa replied. "All the people in the country watching this, please don't let me down. You can change this girl's life forever. Please vote for him. He deserves it."

"All right. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Ella Henderson!"

Christopher was already backstage waiting to be introduced so when Ella walked off stage and walked into the green room, Finn was the only one there. He walked over and gave her a hug.

"Ella, that was awesome!" He exclaimed. "Who knew Ella Henderson could dance?!" He joked. Ella laughed.

"Haha. Very funny. But thank you. I'm sure you're going to be great too."

"I hope so. Now let's watch Christopher make a fool of himself." She said. Finn laughed and they turned towards the TV again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… next up today is our only over 28 still in the competition. He's the man from Miami. It's Christopher Maloney!"

_First when there's nothing_

_But a slow glowing dream_

_That your fear seems to hide_

_Deep inside your mind_

_All alone, I have cried_

_Silent tears full of pride_

_In a world made of steel_

_Made of stone_

_Well, I hear the music_

_Close my eyes, feel the rhythm_

_Wrap around, take a hold of my heart_

_What a feeling_

_Being's believing_

_I can have it all_

_Now I'm dancing for my life_

_Take your passion_

_And make it happen_

_Pictures come alive_

_You can dance right through your life_

_Now I hear the music_

_Close my eyes, I am rhythm_

_In a flash, it takes hold of my heart_

_What a feeling, being's believing_

_I can have it all_

_Now I'm dancing for my life_

_Take your passion_

_And make it happen_

_Pictures come alive_

_Now I'm dancing through my life_

_What a feeling_

_What a feeling (I am music now)_

_Being's believing (I am rhythm now)_

_Pictures come alive_

_You can dance right through your life_

_What a feeling (I can really have it all)_

_What a feeling_

_(Pictures come alive when I call)_

_I can have it all (I can really have it all)_

_Have it all (pictures come alive when I call)_

_(Call, call ,call, call, what a feeling)_

_I can have it all (being's believing)_

_Being's believing (take your passion)_

_(Make it happen) Make it happen_

_(What a feeling) What a feeling_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=9fsx5Ty_C7M**

**Or search… "Christopher Maloney What a Feeling"**

To be fair to Christopher, it was probably his best performance of the series so far. He had dancers all around him but they weren't creepy dancers like in Week 8. His voice was decent and his staging was excellent.

"Christopher!" Nicole exclaimed. "What a feeling is this? You know what? It's not easy what you just did up there. Enjoy this feeling right now so much because I know how hard you've worked to be here. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Christopher replied. Louis was next.

"Maloney, you're in the final. Everybody in Miami is cheering for you. You're the people's choice and I have to say, even though I've been kind of negative about you before, you've always come out fighting and you always deliver. And I loved your high notes there. Christopher, you've done it. You've changed your life."

"Thank you. Thanks." Christopher said. Tulisa would be the next critic and she was probably his biggest hater of all 4 judges.

"Christopher, this must be an amazing moment for you. You've come such a long way and I know at times you haven't always been my cup of tea but you know what? You're here, and you're a fighter and you're always yourself and I respect that. Good luck."

Gary was the final judge and because he was Christopher's mentor, he wasn't too worried.

"Christopher, you're here because everyone voted for you to be here. Week on week, people have voted for you. You've come out fighting. You've had masses of criticism every week but you've come out thick skinned, fighting every week. Congratulations. You deserve to be in the final."

So the standard was set. Ella and Christopher both put on great first performances and it was up to Finn to match them.

"OK, um… first things first, Christopher… without thanking anybody, how do you feel about getting those comments tonight, because it's almost like an acceptance from the judges?" Dermott asked.

"I mean to hear those comments after all I've been through throughout the weeks is so nice and so humbling to hear so thank you."

"All right, all of you who want to see Christopher again, vote for him. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Christopher Maloney!"

Christopher walked off stage. There was a short 5 minute break as all of Christopher's staging was removed and Finn's loop station was plugged in. Eventually, it was finally time for Finn's performance.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome back to your X Factor final, where our final 3 competitors are duking it out for a place in tomorrow's final. Our final performance of the first half is from the man from suburban Ohio who's come so far in this competition. Give it up for Finn Hudson!"

The cheers from the crowd were louder than the cheers for Ella and Christopher, which was a reassuring sign for Finn as he plugged his guitar into the loop station and waited for it to turn on. From his place on stage, he could see every single member of the audience and he saw all of his friends waving wildly at him from their VIP box. From the judging table, Nicole gave him a thumbs up, and Finn took a deep breath and began strumming his guitar.

**Ok, for this to make sense, you gotta watch this video. Click:**

**watch?v=e02jUE4AxIQ**

**Or search… "Ed Sheeran - Don't (Live at the Jingle Bell Ball)"**

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_I met this girl late last year_

_She said, "Don't you worry if I disappear."_

_I told her I'm not really looking for another mistake_

_I called an old friend thinking that the trouble would wait_

_But then I jump right in_

_A week later returned_

_I reckon she was only looking for a lover to burn_

_But I gave her my time for two or three nights_

_Then I put it on pause until the moment was right_

_I went away for months until our paths crossed again_

_She told me, "I was never looking for a friend._

_Maybe you could swing by my room around 10:00._

_Baby, bring a lemon and a bottle of gin._

_We'll be in between the sheets 'til the late AM._

_Baby, if you wanted me then you should've just said."_

_She's singing_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_And for a couple weeks I only wanna see her_

_We drink away the days with a take-away pizza_

_Before a text message was the only way to reach her_

_Now she's staying at my place and loves the way I treat her_

_Singing out Aretha_

_All over the track like a feature_

_And never wants to sleep, I guess that I don't want to either_

_But me and her we make money the same way_

_Four cities, two planes the same day_

_And those shows have never been what it's about_

_But maybe we'll go together and just figure it out_

_I'd rather put on a film with you and sit on a couch_

_But we should get on a plane_

_Or we'll be missing it now_

_Wish I'd have written it down_

_The way that things played out_

_When she was kissing him_

_How I was confused about_

_Now she should figure it out while I'm sat here singing_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_[Knock knock knock] on my hotel door_

_I don't even know if she knows what for_

_She was crying on my shoulder_

_I already told ya_

_Trust and respect is what we do this for_

_I never intended to be next_

_But you didn't need to take him to bed that's all_

_And I never saw him as a threat_

_Until you disappeared with him to have sex of course_

_It's not like we were both on tour_

_We were staying on the same fucking hotel floor_

_And I wasn't looking for a promise or commitment_

_But it was never just fun and I thought you were different_

_This is not the way you realize what you wanted_

_It's a bit too much, too late if I'm honest_

_And all this time God knows I'm singing_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_These girls ain't loyal_

_That heart is so cold_

_These girls ain't loyal_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_These girls ain't loyal_

_That heart is so cold_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

"Manhattan, put yours hands in the air! Give me a clap like this!" Finn exclaimed, clapping his hands together. Eager to participate, the audience did it too.

_Oo-oo-ooo-ooo-ooh_

_I like the way you work it_

_No diggity, I got to bag it up_

_I like the way you work it_

_No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up_

_I like the way you work it_

_No diggity, I got to bag it up_

_I like the way you work it_

_No diggity, I got to bag it up, bag it up_

_Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo_

_Damn that girl is good_

_Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo_

_Play on, play on, play on_

_Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo_

_Damn that girl is good_

_Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo, Hey-yo_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_That heart is so cold_

_All over my home_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

_Don't fuck with my love_

_I told her she knows_

_Take aim and reload_

_I don't wanna know that babe_

_Ah lahmlahlah_

Finn's epic performance brought an absolute bombshell of screams, shouts, cheers, sobs and applause from every person in the stadium. He was the only one of the three acts to receive a standing ovation from all four judges.

"Finn!" Louis shouted. "Wow! That was incredible! The idea of the X Factor was to find somebody new. Somebody with unique talent. Somebody that deserves a break. That person is absolutely you! Every week, you've brought something new to this show. You're a humble guy. You've got a great talent. You're special, and the public out there have to vote! I want you here tomorrow night! I want this to change your life because you so deserve it! You're fantastic."

"Thanks, Louis." Finn replied.

"Finn…" Tulisa began. "You are everything this competition should represent. I want to hear you taking your music around the world. I want to hear British people going 'Oh my god, have you heard that Finn Hudson kid? Have you heard he's American?!' That's what I want people to say. You are real, homegrown, raw, American talent and America should be proud of you and they should be voting for you!"

"Thanks, Tulisa."

"Finn…" Gary said. "I think the great thing for us is that for the last ten weeks, this panel is to sit here and judge and give criticism, and it is that for most of the acts. Until you. All of a sudden, when you perform, I become an audience member for a second and I thoroughly enjoy every single performance you do. And talk about coming out swinging! That was for sure your best performance to date. BY FAR! It was on another level!"

"Finn." Nicole said, beaming at him. "You are a fighter, a soldier and not to mention a MASSIVE superstar! I want to tell you this. You are going to revolutionise the era and I can't wait to watch TV in a couple of years and see you sweeping multiple Grammys and think 'Oh, I mentored that kid!'"

After the four judges gave their praise, Dermott walked on stage.

"I imagine you could get quite used to this." Dermott said.

"Yeah, I could get used to this!" Finn laughed.

"Before you started in this competition, how many people did you play to? Like what was the maximum? A couple of hundred?"

"Oh, way less! Maybe 50 and that would be like the afternoon right before the Superbowl so the bars would be packed."

"And now you're here performing for 40 thousand people. How do you feel?"

"It's a big leap." Finn said. "And I feel so blessed. It's incredible. It's like nothing I could have ever imagined."

"From what the judges just said there, it was your best performance so far. How does that make you feel?"

"Um… I say this every time but I just want to say thank you. The encouragement you've all given me every week has brought me on and has built my confidence and I feel like a new person."

"All right. One more question. I know the audience and I are very used to you tailoring your songs to real life emotions and events. That song is a very harsh break up song. Are you singing to someone? Is there a story?"

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I started playing this song in high school, actually. Right after my ex-girlfriend screwed me over. She's here tonight actually."

The crowd immediately started booing to support Finn. Up in the stands, the Glee kids all turned to Quinn and laughed at her blushing expression.

"Well, I don't think girls are about to screw you over ever again after this competition. So, a lot of people from Finn's hometown are here today. We've got Caroline Flack up in the stands to interview some people. First up, we've got Finn's friends up in the VIP box!"

"Yeah, I'm here with Finn's friends. What's it like seeing Finn on that stage?" Caroline asked them.

"It's amazing. We're so proud of him!" Santana said.

"And, the local mayor of Lima, David Berger, is also with us tonight. Can you officially confirm that Finn is the most famous person to come out of Lima?" Caroline asked.

"Well certainly."

"Can he win?"

"Yes!" David exclaimed.

"Wowsers!" Dermott said from all the way down at the stage with Finn. "The mayor is supporting his local boy. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you want to see Finn again tomorrow, please vote for him. Give it up, one more time for Finn Hudson!"


	128. Chapter 128

After Finn's performance, there was a short break to give the contestants time to prepare for their mystery duets. Finn was singing with Buble, Ella was singing with Beyonce and Christopher was singing with Adam Lambert.

During the short break, they had the first guest performance of the final.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome back to the X Factor. We are live and lines for the three finalists are open. One of them will become this year's champion. But one will be leaving the competition tonight and it's your choice who. All right, this has been some series. We've seen, in no particular order, controversy, conflict, walk outs, shocks, tears, lap dances and Rylan. But right now, we're going to hear a woman who has been through very similar to these competitors, winning American Idol and then became a world-wide success story. It's the brilliant Ms. Kelly Clarkson.

_Grew up in a small town_

_And when the rain would fall down_

_I'd just stare out my window_

_Dreaming of what could be_

_And if I'd end up happy_

_I would pray (I would pray)_

_Trying hard to reach out_

_But when I tried to speak out_

_Felt like no one could hear me_

_Wanted to belong here_

_But something felt so wrong here_

_So I prayed I could break away_

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget all the ones that I love_

_I'll take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Wanna feel the warm breeze_

_Sleep under a palm tree_

_Feel the rush of the ocean_

_Get on board a fast train_

_Travel on a jet plane far away_

_And breakaway_

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly_

_I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky_

_And I'll make a wish_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_I won't forget all the ones that I love_

_I gotta take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Buildings with a hundred floors_

_Swinging 'round revolving doors_

_Maybe I don't know where they'll take me_

_But gotta keep moving on, moving on_

_Fly away, breakaway_

_I'll spread my wings_

_And I'll learn how to fly_

_Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye_

_I gotta take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway_

_Out of the darkness and into the sun_

_But I won't forget the place I come from_

_I gotta take a risk_

_Take a chance_

_Make a change_

_And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway_

As she sang, a slideshow of clips and pictures of the 12 acts from the very beginning of the show up to that point played on the screen. It was bittersweet to watch as there were so many amazing memories up on the screen but it was sad to think that it was all going to end in roughly 24 hours. That's when Finn realised. Although the competition had been the most stressful experience of his life, damn it if it wasn't the best 10 weeks of his life!

"Ladies and Gentlemen… with Breakaway from her greatest hits album. The only and only Kelly Clarkson!"

Kelly Clarkson walked off stage and finally, it was time for the duets. Ella would be going first, Christopher second, and Finn closing out the show.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome back to the X Factor! We are right down to the wire but it's not over yet. Who will get there? That's decided entirely by you. All right, here we go. The second half of the show begins. It's Finn vs Christopher vs Ella. First up is the only girl left in the competition. Ladies and Gentlemen… Ella Henderson and her celebrity duet partner, Beyonce!"

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_You're the best man I'll ever know_

_There's no way I can ever go_

_No, no, there's no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_I'm not living without you_

_I don't wanna be free_

_I'm staying_

_I'm staying_

_And you, and you_

_You're gonna love me_

_You're gonna love me_

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_Even though the rough times are showing_

_There's just no way, there's no way_

_We're part of the same place_

_We're part of the same time_

_We both share the same blood_

_We both have the same mind_

_And time and time, we've had so much to share and_

_No, no, no, no, no, no way_

_I'm not waking up tomorrow morning and finding that there's nobody there_

_Darling there's no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_I'm not living without you_

_You see there's just no way, there's no way_

_Please don't go away from me_

_Stay with me stay with me_

_Stay, stay and hold me_

_Stay, stay and hold me_

_Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man,_

_Try it mister, try it mister_

_I know, I know, I know you can_

_Tear down the mountain_

_Yell, scream and shout you can say what you want_

_I'm not walking out_

_Stop all the rivers, push, strike and kill_

_I'm not gonna leave you_

_There's no way I will_

_And I am telling you_

_I'm not going_

_You're the best man I'll ever know_

_There's no way I could ever, ever go_

_No, no, no, there's no way_

_No, no, no, no way I'm living without you_

_Oh, I'm not living without you,_

_Not living without you_

_I don't wanna be free_

_I'm staying, I'm staying_

_And you, and you, and you_

_You're gonna love me_

_You're gonna love me, yes you are, yes you are_

_Love me, love me, love me, love_

_You're gonna love me_

Wow! Jesus Christ that was amazing! In Finn's opinion, that was definitely her performance of the series and quite possibly, the performance of her lifetime.

"Wow, Ella, you've done it again. Both performances tonight and the whole crowd is with you. What was it like singing up there with Beyonce?" Dermott asked her.

"It was just incredible. It was absolutely amazing. I couldn't believe it when I heard that she volunteered to sing with me. This is just the highlight of the series for me." She replied.

"There's a long night ahead of us but if Ella's your X Factor winner, remember to vote for her. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for the stunning Ms. Ella Henderson!"

Ella walked off stage to the cheers and screams from the audience. At this point, Finn felt like she was a little bit ahead of him and he needed to absolutely nail his duet with Buble to level with her. However, it wasn't his time to perform: it was Chris's.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… next to duet is Christopher and a certain Mr. Adam Levine!" Dermott exclaimed.

Christopher was singing one of Gary's - his mentor's - songs: Rule the World by Take That.

**Adam:**

_You light, the skies up above me_

_A star, so bright you blind me_

**Christopher:**

_Don't close your eyes_

**Both:**

_Don't fade away_

_Don't fade away_

_Yeah you and me we can ride on a star_

_If you stay with me girl, we can rule the world_

_Yeah you and me we can light up the sky_

_If you stay by my side, we can rule the world._

**Adam:**

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you_

**Christopher:**

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you,_

**Both:**

_Yeah you and me we can ride on a star_

_If you stay with me girl, we can rule the world_

_Yeah you and me we can light up the sky_

_If you stay by my side, we can rule the world._

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you_

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you_

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you_

_All the stars are coming out tonight_

_They're lighting up the sky tonight_

_For you_

_For you_

It was actually a really good performance by the two. Their harmonies were on point.

"Wow, Maloney, what was that like for you?" Dermott asked as he stood next to them.

"It was an honor." Christopher replied. "He's been my idol since I was really young. And to sing with him was absolutely incredible."

"Man, I'd love to sing with Adam Levine!" Dermott exclaimed. "That's like the best thing ever! All right, if you want Christopher to be the winner, remember to call in and vote for him. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Christopher Maloney!"

Christopher walked off stage and it was finally time for Finn's performance.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… the final act for tonight is our hard up lad from Ohio. Give it up for Finn Hudson!"

Dressed in a very formal tuxedo like he was James Bond, Finn walked on stage and over to the stairs at the far side of the side. There was a blackout at this point so Finn could get into the position and once he was, a spotlight shone solely on him and illuminated him in the darkness. The crowd all screamed and cheered when they saw him. Finn took a deep breath and began singing the intro acapella.

**Finn:**

_Birds flying high_

_You know how I feel_

_Sun in the sky_

_You know how I feel_

_Breeze driftin' on by_

_You know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn_

_It's a new day_

_It's a new life_

_For me_

_And I'm feeling good_

At this point, the lights in the arena came on and Finn walked down the stairs and into the center of the stage.

_I'm feeling good_

_Fish in the sea_

_You know how I feel_

_River running free_

_You know how I feel_

_Blossom on a tree_

_You know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn_

_It's a new day_

_It's a new life_

_For me_

_And I'm feeling good_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… introducing the coolest, most chill guy I've ever met… Michael Buble!

**Buble:**

_Dragonfly out in the sun_

_You know what I mean,_

_Don't you know?_

_Butterflies all havin' fun_

_You know what I mean_

_Sleep in peace when day is done_

_That's what I mean_

_And this old world_

_Is a new world_

_And a bold world_

_For me_

_For me_

**Both:**

_Stars when you shine_

_You know how I feel_

_Scent of the pine_

_You know how I feel_

_Oh freedom is mine_

_And I know how I feel_

_It's a new dawn_

_It's a new day_

_It's a new life_

_It's a new dawn_

_It's a new day_

_It's a new life_

_It's a new dawn_

_It's a new day_

_It's a new life_

_It's a new life_

_For me_

_And I'm feeling good_

_I'm feeling good_

_I feel so good_

_I feel so good_

"Finn Hudson!" Louis exclaimed. "Every week, you've brought something new to the competition. I love what you did with that song. You're a ready made artist. You're original, you're real, you're honest. And you've earned this. You're amazing!"

"Finn…" Tulisa said. "I know I've said it about a million times throughout the live shows about how you're an artist and how you take iconic songs and you make them your own. Only you can take classic, untouchable numbers and make them even better and you have done that again tonight. This is why you deserve to be in that final tomorrow. You are an artist."

"Finn, it's interesting right now because you'll go off, you'll get your label, you'll be developed. You don't need any of that. You're ready right now to get out there, record, play world tours and I can tell you right now, I'm ready to buy your album right away. You know, when I first saw what you were singing and who you were singing with, I was like really? It's so far from what you normally sing and it's an untouchable song, but you came out and you absolutely nailed it." Gary said.

"Finn…" Nicole said. "Watching you up there, I felt like I was seeing the future. Like next year, these kinds of arenas are where you're going to be performing at. I'm humbled and I feel so blessed to have been able to work with you and create songs with you and all I can say is that when you're inevitably up for those Grammys in a couple of years, remember where you started. Remember this competition and when you're singing career finally comes to a close or you are taking a hiatus, I would love nothing more than to see you be one of the 4 judges on the panel and work with the new, up and coming auditionees because honestly, working with you has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thank you."

"Finn…" Dermott said. "Is this quite surreal for you? Coming from a small town in Ohio, standing here must be an incredible feeling, huh?"

"Yeah, very much so. It feels like that first week on the X Factor, you know? Performing in front of millions of people, it's not the norm to say the least. It's pretty crazy."

"It's good crazy though, right?"

"Absolutely it is. It's a dream. That's really the only way I can describe it."

"Good for you, man." Dermott said then turned to face the cameras. "If Finn Hudson is your X Factor winner, remember to call in and vote. All of our contestants are done performing for the night. You all have a little more time to vote before lines close as we have two guest performers up next, but be sure to vote quickly as the clock is ticking. Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Finn Hudson!"


	129. Chapter 129

"That is it. The contestants can do no more. Time for a solo guest performance from one of the world's biggest R'n'B stars. She is blazing a trail around the world and tore up the X Factor when she appeared on the show earlier this season. Please welcome Rita Ora!"

_R.I.P. to the girl you used to see_

_Her days are over, baby she's over_

_I decided to give you all of me_

_Baby come closer, baby come closer_

_Sexy senorita, I feel your aura_

_Jump out that new motor_

_Get in my flying saucer_

_I'll make you call me daddy_

_Even though you ain't my daughter_

_Baby I ain't talking books_

_When I say that I can take you across the borders_

_I'm young and free, I'm London G_

_I'm tongue in cheek_

_So baby give me some time to drink_

_Slow and steady for me_

_Go on like a jezzy for me_

_And say the words soon as you're ready for me_

_I'm ready for ya_

_Hit 'em all, switch it up_

_Put 'em on, zip it up_

_Let my perfume, soak into your sweater_

_Say you'll be here soon, sooner the better_

_No option for, you saying no_

_I run this game, just play a role_

_Follow my lead, what you waiting for?_

_Thought it over and decided tonight is your night_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_R.I.P. to the girl you used to see_

_Her days are over, baby she's over_

_(I-I-I'm ready for ya)_

_I decided to give you all of me_

_Baby come closer, baby come closer_

_(I-I-I'm ready for ya)_

_Nothing on, I strut around_

_I do it big, I shut it down_

_I wonder if you'll be able to handle me_

_Mental pictures, no cameras please_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_R.I.P. to the girl you used to see_

_Her days are over, baby she's over_

_(I-I-I'm ready for ya)_

_I decided to give you all of me_

_Baby come closer, baby come closer_

_(I, I, I'm ready for ya)_

_Yeah I hear you talking_

_Don't know who you trying to flatter_

_Got my mind made up (I, I, I'm ready for ya)_

_I'm in control, but with you being a man,_

_You don't seem to understand (I, I, I'm ready for ya)_

_I, I, I'm ready for ya_

_I, I, I'm ready for ya_

_So keep thinking you the man_

_Cause it's all part of my plan_

_I, I, I'm ready for ya_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_Ca-a-an you fe-e-el my He-he-he-he-heart is beatin'_

_R.I.P. to the girl you used to see_

_Her days are over…_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… Rita Ora!" Dermott exclaimed. "Rita, so you were a guest judge back during auditions. Are you surprised at how far these finalists have come in terms of their development?"

"Oh my god! I mean I've been watching them from the very beginning and I have such respect for the 4 mentors. It's so hard to please the millions of people watching from all over the country but they're doing a great job!"

"Yeah. What would you say to the finalists coming out here and performing in front of all those people? Do you have any advice?"

"I mean, I think they're doing a great job. I can't even tell them anything apart from have fun. That's what it's about."

"Yeah, well you seem to always be on tour so when are we going to see you next?"

"Um… I have a tour in February next year and the tickets are out now so go get your tickets!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up one more time for Rita Ora!"

The singer walked off stage.

"Wow, great performance." Dermott commented. "All right! Tense times and as you can imagine, there are three very nervous acts backstage. There's nothing more they can do now but wait. Two acts will be going through to tomorrow and one act will be leaving the competition. You haven't got long to vote now because you have 5 more minutes to vote for your favourite. In the meantime, it's time for the third and final guest of the night. A pop princess who has reached a rare level of worldwide success that doesn't even require a surname. It's Kylie!"

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy your loving is all I think about_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy it's more than I dare to think about_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy your loving is all I think about_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy it's more than I dare to think about_

_Every night_

_Every day_

_Just to be there in your arms_

_Won't you stay_

_Won't you lay_

_Stay forever and ever and ever and ever_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy your loving is all I think about_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_Boy it's more than I dare to think about_

_There's a dark secret in me_

_Don't leave me locked in your heart_

_Set me free_

_Feel the need in me_

_Set me free_

_Stay forever and ever and ever and ever_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_La la la_

_La la la la la_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_I just can't get you out of my head_

_I just can't get you out of my head…_

"Wow! Ladies and Gentlemen… Kylie Minogue!" Dermott shouted. "So, that's from the album where you're taking your biggest hits and remaking them with an orchestra. What was your inspiration for that?"

"Well, after 25 years, I thought I'll try something new and it's been a great opportunity to reinterpret songs.

"Right. Well Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Ms. Kylie Minogue!"

All right. It was finally time for the three finalists to find out who was going through to tomorrow's showdown. Finn, Ella and Christopher were all trembling with excitement and nerves as they were led out of the greenroom and into the backstage area to wait for Dermott to announce them and their mentors.

"Well, well, well. The public vote has been frozen and I'm about to reveal which two acts have made it through to the next round of the final and which act is going home. So, let's welcome back the finalists and their mentors!"

"Tulisa and the one remaining girl… Ella!"

"Gary and the one remaining over 28… Christopher!"

"And Nicole and the one remaining boy… Finn!"

As Finn and Nicole walked on stage together and stood at the far left of the three acts, Finn glanced down the line. It looked so… empty. During the first week, there were so many people on stage but now, with no groups left in the competition and almost everyone gone, it felt so weird.

"All right. It's time for the results. The public have voted and I'm about to reveal the two acts that received the most votes and are through to the next stage of the final tomorrow. Good luck to everyone. In no particular order, the first act through to the next stage of the X Factor tomorrow night is… Ella!"

As Ella hugged her mentor and walked over to the side of the stage, Finn sighed and slumped his shoulders, defeatedly. Oh well, he had made it to the final! Although he wasn't about to beat out Christopher for the last spot, he was proud of himself. He knew that he had started a massive career for himself and he knew that it wasn't the last the world was going to see of Finn Hudson. As Finn looked down, he felt Nicole's hand slip into his.

"You've got this." She said, although in her eyes, Finn knew that she didn't really believe it. As Ella walked past him, Finn hugged her. Although Finn would have died for that final spot, Ella really did deserve it.

"Congratulations, Ella. We'll see you back here tomorrow." Dermott said. "So, Finn and Christopher… one of you will be singing again tomorrow and one of you has received the fewest votes and will be leaving the competition. The final act through to tomorrow's stage of the final is…"


	130. Chapter 130

" _The final act through to tomorrow's stage of the final is…"_

Finn's heart raced. He felt a bead of nervous sweat appear on his forehead and he could feel Nicole's hand trembling just as much as his. The next word Dermott said had the potential to end his dreams, or make him the happiest person in the world. Up in the VIP booth, the New Directions looked at each other, nervously. They knew how likely Finn's departure from the competition was looking now.

"FINN!"

Finn let out a huge sigh of relief and all the stress and tension he was feeling rushed out of his body, leaving him exhausted. He hugged Nicole and then walked over to Ella and the two of them hugged before walking over to Christopher for getting that far in the competition. As they walked towards him, they saw how enraged he was. His face was turning beet-red and his nostrils flared angrily. To be honest, Finn would be just as furious if he was in Christopher's position. Christopher had spent tens of thousands of dollars on votes, only to be eliminated in the finals. As Ella walked closer to him to give him a hug, Finn watched as Christopher clenched his fist and Finn knew exactly what was coming…

Sure enough, a second later, as Ella went in to hug him, Christopher socked Ella right in the face. Disgusting! Who gets so mad at someone that they punch a woman in the face on live TV? Everyone was motionless in shock. What the hell was going on? And it got worse too. As Ella stumbled backwards, clutching her face, Christopher snarled and paced towards her, ready to strike once again. Before he could hit her, Finn finally got over his shock. He grabbed Ella and pulled her out the way as Christopher swung his fist, making him miss the innocent girl. Before Christopher could react and strike again, Finn shoulder tackled him and knocked him clean over. Finally, the security arrived and escorted Christopher off stage. The rest of the contestants and judges followed him off stage shortly after, leaving the audience both at home and in the arena in a sense of shock and appall.

As soon as they were off stage, all of the judges threw Christopher into the greenroom to yell at him and punish him, leaving Finn and Ella outside. Finn turned to Ella and realised that her nose was still bleeding and due to her wiping the blood all around her face, she looked like a vampire.

"Woah, jesus, Ella! Your nose is still bleeding! Can I help you get cleaned up?!" Finn exclaimed. Ella nodded shakily. She was still in shock of what happened, and her hands trembled slightly. Finn led her into the dressing room and they walked to the very back, where the sinks were. Finn helped Ella wash her face off and when the blood came off her face, Finn was able to gauge the damage Christopher did.

"Is my nose broken?" Ella asked, frightenedly. "I swear to God, if I have to pull out of the competition now, I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" She shouted. Finn laughed.

"OK, calm down. You're more than okay to perform tomorrow. He hit you square in the face so it's not like he knocked out any teeth. And your nose, which is the main concern, isn't even broken. That dumbass. Unless you're strong enough to break the nose, you go for an uppercut to the chin. Everyone knows that!"

"OK, first of all, nobody knows that but you." Ella said. "And second, are you sure I'm okay? Because it hurts like hell!"

Finn laughed.

"You're fine. And more importantly, we're in the final!" Finn exclaimed excitedly and hugged her.

"Yeah, and the jackass is getting an absolute whooping from the judges." Ella said, gesturing to the green room door where they heard loud voices emerging from.

"Did you eat anything for dinner?" Finn asked, randomly.

"No, I was too nervous to eat. Why?" Ella asked.

"Can we go get something to eat? I didn't eat too and I'm starving!"

Ella laughed.

"Yeah, please, let's go. But nowhere fancy, please. I really don't want to change!" Ella pleaded. Finn chuckled.

"You got it."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

45 minutes later, they were both tucking into their Big Macs gratefully. They had ordered Drive Thru McDonalds - scaring the crap out of the drive thru worker when he saw them - and then drove to the hotel. It was their last night at the Corinthia and they were devastated to have to leave. It had been their home for almost 15 weeks and it was going to be sad to have to leave tomorrow. Rather than eating in one of their rooms, they went up to the terrace on the roof and set down a picnic basket, gazing at the midnight Manhattan skyline as they ate.

"Man I'm gonna miss this place." Ella sighed. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I know right. Some of my best memories in my whole life took place here. Remember all that song we wrote together a couple of weeks ago at like 4 in the morning one night?"

Ella laughed.

"Oh yeah. We should record that at some point." She joked. Finn chuckled.

"Haha." He remarked sarcastically in reply, rolling his eyes. Ella shook her head.

"No, I'm serious. Or if not record it, at least meet up on tour at some point and perform together."

"Yeah, that would be fun." Finn smiled. "Were your family here tonight?"

"Um… my mom, dad, sister and a couple of my friends came." Ella replied. Finn snickered.

"Yeesh, did they watch you get socked in the face?" Finn asked. Ella laughed and nodded.

"Unfortunately. They've been texting me all night. They think you're a hero and you saved my life. My sister thinks we should start dating."

Both of them laughed at the thought.

"Are you dating someone?" Finn asked casually. Ella's eyes widened.

"Finn… I'm flattered but I'm sorry. You're my friend. No. No, no. No, no, no, no."

Finn raised his eyebrow and held up a hand to cut her off.

"First of all, I was NOT asking you out. I was just curious. But now I'm curious about something else. 7 nos? Is there something so wrong about me?" Finn asked. Ella shook her head and took his hands in hers.

"Finn, you're probably the kindest, sweetest, strongest person I know. But…"

"Oh no. The one kind of 'butt' I don't like." Finn joked. Ella giggled.

"But… you clearly aren't over someone and until you get closure, you're not gonna be able to have a relationship with anyone else."

"You think I should try and get her back?" Finn asked.

"Um… honestly, you've gotta think. Would you rather your life with her or without her? Are you happier when you're with her or without her? If you'd rather be with her then you have your answer. And besides, she'd be crazy to say no to you, whoever she is. After all, you're hot, you're kind, and oh wait… you're a megastar!"

Finn shook his head.

"Nah, she won't care about that. She'll care about the fact that I… um… I…"

"What did you do, Finn?" Ella asked, glaring at him. Finn sighed.

"After I managed to escape from South America and come back to Lima, I wasn't in the right mental shape for a relationship, and I didn't want to see any of my old friends either. But rather than flying to New york and breaking up with her in the polite civil way, I kinda dumped her in a group message."

"DUDE!" Ella exclaimed. "That's so rude, especially given how she stuck by you while you were in the Army! That's not easy, you know?!"

"I know. Not my proudest moment." Finn murmured. Before either of them could say anymore, they heard the gate of the terrace open behind them. They turned around to see Union J, Rylan and Jade walking towards them.

"Hey guys, congratulations on tonight!" Rylan exclaimed as he and others sat down next to him and Ella.

"Thanks, man." Finn replied.

"Ella, how's your face?" Jade asked, concerned. Ella laughed.

"I'm good. Did you guys ever find out what happened to Christopher after we left?" Ella asked.

"Yeah, he got a verbal thrashing from the big man himself." Josh replied.

"God?" Finn asked, dumbly. "He died?"

"No! Simon Cowell you dumbass!" Jaymi exclaimed. "He's been banned from performing with us tomorrow, and he definitely has a black dot next to his name for any record label to sign him. The competition didn't really need to punish him. He already kinda screwed himself. I mean, hitting a woman on live TV in front of millions of people?! He's ruined on social media! #ChrisSlapElla is already trending."

Ella looked down.

"I'm gonna miss you guys so much." Rylan said. "These have been the best weeks of my life and it's mainly thanks to you guys. In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of different to the rest of you." Rylan said, gesturing to his flamboyant outfit. "But you guys accepted me and welcomed me."

"Well that's cause we're all from minorities ourselves." Josh replied. "And we all have all struggled to find and make friends because of it. But when we're together, because we're all so different, that's what makes us so great. We don't care that Jaymi and Rylan are gay." He said.

"Or that I'm 22 with a 5 year old kid." Jade said.

"Or that I'm literally nearly 10 years older than some of you." 16 year old Jacob said.

"Or that I have an eating disorder." Ella said.

"Or that I'm a veteran with PTSD." Finn added.

"Exactly. We all are different, but that's what makes us special. Our differences are all ignored because of our common shared interest… singing." Rylan said.

"We should make a pact." Finn exclaimed, suddenly. "Once a year, we should all meet up at this very hotel on this date for at least a weekend. I don't know about you guys but I, for one, am not ready to say goodbye. Come on, one weekend a year. It can't be too much to ask!"

They all smiled and nodded. Bittersweet tears rolled down all of their cheeks.

"Yeah, let's do it! X Factor competitors of 2018 reunion every year from the 8th - 9th of December. We can watch the final together each year and chat about the various competitors and bet on who we think is going to win. And then, twenty years from now, we'll get to watch as Finn and Ella are made mentors in the competition." Jade said.

"Woah! Who said we want to be mentors?!" Ella laughed.

"Oh, come on! Wouldn't you want to give back to the competition that basically built your career?" Rylan asked. Ella shrugged.

"True."

"Why are we thinking so far in advance?" Finn asked, laughing. "Let's think about the near future. We all better be invited to all of each other's big moments in life. The day we get married, the album release parties, the day Rylan finally pursues a guy so far that he files a restraining order. You know, the important stuff!"

They laughed and nodded. They all came together in one massive group hug. Once they disbanded from the hug, Finn took out his guitar.

"Guys? One more song for prosperity?" He said. They all cheered.

**Finn:**

_Give me a second I_

_I need to get my story straight_

_My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State_

_My lover she's waiting for me just across the bar_

_My seat's been taken by some sunglasses asking 'bout a scar, and_

**Ella:**

_I know I gave it to you months ago_

_I know you're trying to forget_

_But between the drinks and subtle things_

_The holes in my apologies, you know_

_I'm trying hard to take it back_

**Union J:**

_So if by the time the bar closes_

_And you feel like falling down_

_I'll carry you home_

**All:**

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

**Rylan:**

_Now I know that I'm not_

_All that you got_

_I guess that I, I just thought_

_Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart_

**Jade:**

_But our friends are back_

_So let's raise a toast_

_'Cause I found someone to carry me home_

**All:**

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

**Finn and Ella:**

_Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_Just carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

**Union J, Rylan and Jade:**

_The moon is on my side (Nananananana)_

_I have no reason to run (Nananananana)_

_So will someone come and carry me home tonight (Nananananana)_

_The angels never arrived (Nananananana)_

_But I can hear the choir (Nananananana)_

_So will someone come and carry me home (Nananananana)_

**All:**

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

_Tonight_

_We are young_

_So let's set the world on fire_

_We can burn brighter than the sun_

**Finn:**

_So if by the time the bar closes_

_And you feel like falling down_

_I'll carry you home tonight_


	131. Chapter 131

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States… the wait is over. Tonight, we crown the winner. This is the X Factor final!" Dermott exclaimed. Finn and Ella were, once again, sitting in the green room with all of the contestants as they were about to perform their group number. "Back in the summer, with nation-wide auditions and it ends here tonight. We are live in front of 40,000 of the finest people here in Madison Square Garden for the last round. It is a head to head face-off between the one remaining boy and the one remaining girl. It is Finn and Ella. There can be only one winner. In case you've forgotten, the decision of who takes home the crown is all down to you. Also, on the stage, we've got some great guests tonight. One Direction are here for a third time! I don't think anyone is complaining though. Emile Sande is also here and so is Rihanna! But first, doing what they do best, with flashing lights and a whole lot more, it's the X Factor finalists!"

**OK, y'all should actually listen to this. It's my favourite Christmas song. It's a medley of different Christmas songs. To hear it, click:**

**watch?v=hIiQvCHCaco**

**Or Search… 'The Finalists Christmas Mashup X Factor 2012'**

**Union J:**

_When the snowman brings the snow,_

_Well he just might like to know._

_He's put a great big smile on somebody's face._

**Melanie:**

_Oh I wish it could be Christmas everyday_

_Let the bells ring out for Christmas_

**Jade:**

_I don't want a lot for Christmas_

_There is just one thing I need_

**Jahmene:**

_I don't care about the presents_

_Underneath the Christmas tree_

**Kye:**

_I don't need to hang my stocking_

_There upon the fireplace_

_Santa Claus won't make me happy_

_With a toy on Christmas day_

**District3:**

_I just want you for my own_

_More than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true_

**All:**

_All I want for Christmas is you_

**Rylan:**

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart_

_But the very next day you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

**All:**

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart_

_But the very next day you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

_You better watch out_

_You better not cry_

_You better not pout_

_I'm telling you why_

_Santa Claus is coming to town_

_He sees you when you're sleeping_

_And he knows when you're awake_

_He knows if you've been bad or good_

_So be good for goodness sake_

_You better watch out_

_You better not cry_

_You better not pout_

_I'm telling you why_

**Finn and Ella:**

_Santa Claus is coming to town_

_Santa Claus is coming to town_

_Santa Claus is coming_

_Santa Claus is coming_

_Santa Claus is coming_

_To town_

"The X Factor finalists everybody!" Dermott shouted as all but two competitors left the stage. "And the final two still standing… give it up for Ella and Finn!"

At this point, Ella and Finn were allowed to walk off stage to get ready for the show.

"All right, last night, Ella, Finn and Christopher faced off against each other in an absolut classic. Arguably, the best final we've ever had. But due to Christopher's severely unsportsmanlike conduct after the show and putting one of our two finalists at risk, he is not with us tonight."

The audience cheered.

"OK, the battle recommences. First up is Ella and Tulisa with their mentor-mentee duet!"

_I believe the children are our future_

_Teach them well and let them lead the way_

_Show them all the beauty they possess inside_

_Give them a sense of pride_

_To make it easier_

_Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be_

_Everybody's searching for a hero_

_People need someone to look up to_

_I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs_

_A lonely place to be_

_And so I learned to depend on me_

_I decided long ago never to walk in anyone's shadows_

_If I fail, if I succeed_

_At least I'll live as I believe_

_No matter what they take from me_

_They can't take away my dignity_

_Because the greatest love of all is happening to me_

_I found the greatest love of all inside of me_

_The greatest love of all is easy to achieve_

_Learning to love yourself_

_It is the greatest love of all_

_I believe the children are our future_

_Teach them well and let them lead the way_

_Show them all the beauty they possess inside_

_Give them a sense of pride_

_To make it easier_

_Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be_

_I decided long ago never to walk in anyone's shadows_

_If I fail, if I succeed_

_At least I'll live as I believe_

_No matter what they take from me_

_They can't take away my dignity_

_Because the greatest love of all is happening to me_

_I found the greatest love of all inside of me_

_The greatest love of all is easy to achieve_

_Learning to love yourself_

_It is the greatest love of all_

_And if, by chance, that special place_

_That you've been dreaming of_

_Leads you to a lonely place_

_Find your strength in love_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Ella and Tulisa!" Dermott exclaimed as he walked over to them.

"Wow, Tulisa, what was like to sing with Ella?"

"Well you know what? She's my little angel and to share the stage with her… that's the reason I'm supposed to be here. I love you Ella. I'm so proud of you."

"Ella, very briefly, how was it to sing with Tulisa?"

"Just a blessing. I never in a million years imagined something like this happening."

"So, if Ella is your winner, remember to call in and vote for her. Ladies and Gentlemen… one more time, give it up for Ella Henderson and Tulisa!"

The two women walked off stage and soon, it was time for Finn and Nicole's duet. This was probably the number Finn was least worried about as he knew that if he messed up anything, he knew he had Nicole to pick up for him.

"All right… time for the last duet of the final. It's his penultimate chance to win your votes. It's Finn Hudson and his mentor, Nicole Scherzinger!"

**Finn:**

_When the rain is blowing in your face_

_And the whole world is on your case_

_I could offer you a warm embrace_

_To make you feel my love_

**Nicole:**

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear_

_And there is no one there to dry your tears_

_I could hold you for a million years_

_To make you feel my love_

**Finn:**

_I know you haven't made your mind up yet_

**Both:**

_But I will never do you wrong_

By the word 'wrong', Finn heard his voice disappear and because he knew that he was singing as loud as he could, he realised something in horror… his microphone was broken! Why now? Ten weeks but now, in the final, Finn was having problems. He subtly gestured the message to Nicole by hitting his mic with his hand and showing that no sound was coming out. Nicole understood immediately and the two quickly walked over to each other. Once they were right next to each other, Finn threw his mic beside him and the two of them were forced to sing from the same mic. Their performance was no doubt going to be compromised due to the fact that they were both singing from the same mic but they knew that they had to finish the song.

**Nicole:**

_I've known it from the moment that we met_

_No doubt in my mind where you belong_

**Finn:**

_I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue_

**Nicole:**

_I'd go crawling down the avenue_

**Finn:**

_No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_To make you feel my love_

**Both:**

_The storms are raging on the rolling sea_

_And on the highway of regret_

_The winds of change are blowing wild and free_

_You ain't seen nothing like me yet_

**Finn:**

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true_

**Nicole:**

_Nothing that I wouldn't do_

**Finn:**

_Go to the ends of the Earth for you_

**Nicole:**

_To make you feel my love_

**Both:**

_To make you feel my love_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=UDxgdWOkTqc**

**Or search… 'Make You Feel My Love James Arthur'**

Finn and Nicole, against the odds, managed to limp to the finish line of their song. Although the disruption to the song was minimal, every single note counted in the big scheme of things as the standard was so high.

"Wow, the biggest show on TV and we can only afford one working mic. I'm so sorry, guys." Dermott said to them. "Nicole, how was it to sing with this guy?"

"Well, it sucks when your mic is not on, but you know what? He did the absolute best he could and I feel like we couldn't have gotten any more connection than we did singing from one mic!" She joked.

"And how far has your boy come in this competition?"

"Oh my gosh, obviously you've seen yourselves how far he's come. I'm so proud of him. He's just… he's a revelation."

"And you, Finn, you've gone from playing in Lima, Ohio to singing on stage with Nicole Scherzinger. How was that for you?"

"I've just gotta say thank you, Nicole. You've brought my confidence back so thank you very much. You've been the best mentor I could have ever asked for."

"OK, both of the remaining acts have one last chance to prove that they deserve the one million dollar recording contract. Only their winner's singles remain and they will be singing them soon, but first, we have our first guest performance of the night. Singing their new single, they've already been here twice during the competition but they love it so much they're back. They built their careers on this very stage. Give it up for Zayn, Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall. It's One Direction!"

**Harry:**

_Straight off the plane to a new hotel_

_Just touched down, you could never tell_

_A big house party with a crowded kitchen_

_People talk shh but we don't listen_

**Louis:**

_Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please_

_Way too many people in the Addison Lee_

_Now I'm at the age when I know what I need, oh, whoa_

**All:**

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Baby you and me_

_Stumbling in the street_

_Singing, singing, singing, singing_

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Anywhere we go never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it, do it_

**Liam:**

_5 foot something with the skinny jeans_

_Don't look back, baby follow me_

**Niall:**

_I don't know where I'm going but I'm finding my way_

_Same old shh but a different day_

**Louis:**

_Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please_

_Way too many people in the Addison Lee_

_Now I'm at the age when I know what I need, oh, whoa_

**All:**

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Baby you and me_

_Stumbling in the street_

_Singing, singing, singing, singing_

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Anywhere we go never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it_

**Niall:**

_You and me and all our friends_

_I don't care how much we spend_

_Baby, this is what the night is for, oh, oh, oh_

**Harry:**

_I know nothing's making sense_

_For tonight let's just pretend_

_I don't wanna stop so give me more, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

**All:**

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Baby you and me_

_Stumbling in the street_

_Singing, singing, singing, singing_

_Midnight memories, oh, oh, oh, oh._

_Anywhere we go never say no_

_Just do it, do it, do it, do it_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… One Direction!" Dermott exclaimed. "Um… so guys, you've been at this point in the competition before. You've been in the final so you know what our acts are going through. What's the final weekend like?"

"It's just madness." Liam replied. "I think you're so happy to be here and so excited, you just want it so much. Like this is the most important night of their lives. And we feel for them, but we're really excited to watch what happens."

"When you wake up in the morning on a day like today, what goes through your head? Are you thinking that you're just happy to be here, or that you're in with a shot?"

"It's kind of excitement, isn't it?" Louis said. "I think you're just looking forward to the occasion and you just want to give it your all."

"And very briefly, are you guys still Finn fans, or have you switched to Ella?"

"Well, you know, both acts are incredible, but Finn." Harry said.

"Finn." Zayn said.

"Finn." Louis said.

"Finn." Liam said.

"Finn." Niall said. "But we love Ella as well."

"All right. Listen, since you were on the show last time, you got a number 1 album, number 1 single. I think we're going to be saying that for a very long time. We're all very proud of you boys. Give it up for One Direction!"

The boys walked off stage and Dermott faced the audience.

"All right, before we have our second guest performance, a bit of a serious note. Whichever of our incredible acts win the competition and have their winner's single released, they are both donating half of whatever money they earn from it to a charity of their choice. If Ella wins, she will be donating to Together for Short Lives - a charity that supports children who have life-ending or life-threatening diseases. Finn, on the other hand, will be donating half his earnings to Help for Heroes - a charity that supports military veterans and helps their reintegration into society after both physical and mental injuries. Both are great charities that help those in desperate need. Anyways, it's time for our second guest for tonight. She is one of the brightest stars in the pop scene who gave us a memorable performance on the show a few weeks ago. To add to her collection, with her new single, it's the brilliant Emile Sande!"

_You won't find him drinking at the table_

_Rolling dice or staying out 'til three_

_You won't ever find him be unfaithful_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

_You won't find him tryna chase the devil_

_For money, fame, for power, out of greed_

_You won't ever find him where the rest go_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

_When the money's spent and all my friends have vanished_

_And I can't seem to find no help or love for free_

_I know there's no need for me to panic_

_Cause I'll find him, I'll find him next to me_

_When the skies are grey and all the doors are closing_

_And the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe_

_When all I need's a hand to stop the tears from falling_

_I will find him, I'll find him next to me_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_I will find him, I'll find him next to me_

_When the end has come and buildings falling down fast_

_When we've spoilt the land and dried up all the sea_

_When everyone has lost their heads around us_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_Next to me – ooh hooo_

_You will find him, you'll find him next to me_

"Ladies and gentlemen… the beautiful Emile Sande!" Dermott exclaimed. "Next to Me, that's a new single. Is that off the album as well?"

"Yeah, that's off the album. Available to download now."

"Wow, this album must be unbelievable!" Dermott exclaimed. "It's just single after single after single! Um… so, our contestants are backstage. You're obviously no stranger to performing in front of high pressure environments. What would you say to them?"

"I would just say enjoy it." She replied. "They've gotten so far and it's such a special night. Everyone's here to show love and to have a great time so enjoy it and remember this night."

"Thank you, Emile." Dermott said. "It's always lovely to have you with us. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Emile Sande!"

The superstar walked off stage. Finally, it was time. Time for Finn and Ella to sing their final song of their X Factor. It was their last chance to show the millions of people watching around the world that they deserved the X Factor crown. Ella was up first. She was invited out of the green room 5 minutes before she was due to perform. As Finn watched her stand up, he realised that she was shaking. He stood up and gave her a hug.

"You've got this, okay?" He said. Ella nodded and smiled.

"Thanks, man." She replied.

"Good luck." Finn called as she left the room. Ella was escorted backstage, where she waited for Dermott to introduce her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… singing her winner's single, please welcome the amazing Ella Henderson…"


	132. Chapter 132

_Skies are crying, I am watching_

_Catching teardrops in my hands_

_Only silence as it's ending_

_Like we never had a chance_

_Do you have to make me feel like_

_There's nothing left of me?_

_You can take everything I have_

_You can break everything I am_

_Like I'm made of glass_

_Like I'm made of paper_

_Go on and try to tear me down_

_I will be rising from the ground_

_Like a skyscraper_

_Like a skyscraper_

_As the smoke clears, I awaken_

_And untangle you from me_

_Would it make you feel better_

_To watch me while I bleed?_

_All my windows still are broken_

_But I'm standing on my feet_

_You can take everything I have_

_You can break everything I am_

_Like I'm made of glass_

_Like I'm made of paper_

_Go on and try to tear me down_

_I will be rising from the ground_

_Like a skyscraper_

_Like a skyscraper_

_Go run, run, run_

_I'm gonna stay right here,_

_Watch you disappear_

_Yeah, oh_

_Go run, run, run_

_Yeah, it's a long way down_

_But I am closer to the clouds up here_

_You can take everything I have_

_You can break everything I am_

_Like I'm made of glass_

_Like I'm made of paper_

_Oh Oh_

_Go on and try to tear me down_

_I will be rising from the ground_

_Like a skyscraper_

_Like a skyscraper_

_(Like a skyscraper)_

_Like a skyscraper_

_Like a skyscraper_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=5V18yk6nIMY**

**Or search… "Sam Bailey Skyscraper"**

Ella's cover of Demi Lovato's was simply stunning. She sang with every ounce of her remaining strength and by the end, every single member of the audience had shed at least a tear or two. Ella smiled widely once she finished singing and accepted the standing ovation she received from both the audience and the judges. Finn, who was still in the green room, smiled on the outside but his insides were in turmoil. That was an absolutely heart wrenching performance from Ella, and Finn did NOT want to follow her. However, it wasn't like he had a choice. He was led backstage where he waited for Dermott to introduce him.

"Wow, incredible performance from Ella there!" Dermott said. "The bar has most certainly been set. But if there's one person that is able to match up to that amazing performance, it's the man up next. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up for Finn Hudson!"

Finn walked on stage and as he stood before the mic, he briefly looked up.

"Biz, mom, this one's for you guys." He said to himself before starting the song.

_I remember years ago_

_Someone told me I should take_

_Caution when it comes to love_

_I did_

_And you were strong and I was not_

_My illusion, my mistake_

_I was careless, I forgot_

_I did_

_And now when all is done_

_There is nothing to say_

_You have gone and so effortlessly_

_You have won_

_You can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the roof tops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_All my scars are open_

_Tell them what I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Falling out of love is hard_

_Falling for betrayal is worse_

_Broken trust and broken hearts_

_I know, I know_

_Thinking all you need is there_

_Building faith on love and words_

_Empty promises will wear_

_I know, I know_

_And now when all is done_

_There is nothing to say_

_And if you're done with embarrassing me_

_On your own you can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the roof tops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_All my scars are open_

_Tell them what I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_I remember years ago_

_Someone told me I should take_

_Caution when it comes to love_

_I did_

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the rooftops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_(Tell them oh) I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

**To hear the actual song, click:**

**watch?v=Lh2oWbaRvQg**

**Or search… "James Arthur Impossible"**

Dermott was right. Finn was probably the only contestant that could match Ella's performance and he definitely did. He could practically feel the floor rumblings and vibrating beneath him from all the fans' applause, cheers and shouts. He wiped a couple of tears from his cheek. He had been working harder than he ever had before during the best ten weeks of his life and it was pretty much over. Well, it was over for him. There was nothing more he could do other than hope and pray that he got votes.

"Finn Hudson!" Louis exclaimed. "That was a powerful, powerful performance. Finn, I want to thank you for bringing something new every single week. You are a ready made artist. The X Factor is going to change your life. You're going to a big record deal and you and Ella are both the winners to me. Thank you very much."

"Thank you, Louis." Finn replied.

"Finn…" Tulisa said. "Kinda like a personal message from me to you… I know you're going to understand what I'm saying. From the second I saw you perform, I got you. I get you. We're the same people. And I get everything about you. And you have been to the depths in life - the deep dark depths - and you came up and came back out with heart. You kept your heart and you didn't let anybody take it away from you. You're an inspiration. You deserve to win this competition. People, this is your last chance to pick up the phone and vote!"

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Finn said.

"Finn…" Gary said. "You can do this competition as a true artist and I was worried that somewhere along the way, you'd lose your dignity and credibility trying to win votes. You have never done that and I'm so proud to see you on this stage tonight. Please, take one bit of advice from me… hold that integrity and credibility for the rest of your career. Never let anybody boss you around and tell you what to do. You know best. Well done."

"Thanks, Gary." Finn said. One more judge and it was, of course, his mentor Nicole.

"Finn, you've proven tonight that anything is possible. I remember when we went back to Lima and we sat in your old bedsit and you said 'I just never thought I'd get out.' You got out, my friend, and you're never going back. And I just want to tell you, Finn, that you better get ready because your life is never going to be the same after this."

"Thanks." Finn said. Dermott walked up beside him.

"Well done, Finn." he said. "Um… well, you can't do anymore now. That was your last competitive performance on the X Factor. How do you feel?"

"Drained." Finn replied. "I think after this competition, I need like a week vacation where I just sit there and do absolutely nothing."

"Obviously it was important for you to give your all tonight, right? I mean, you look like you gave 110% there. You look like you busted a gut singing that last chorus."

Finn laughed.

"You know? I might have literally busted a gut!" Finn exclaimed. Dermott laughed and then turned back to the audience.

"OK, well he's performed his winner's single. If he is your winner, remember to please vote for him. All right, Finn, before you go. I know that during this incredibly stressful show, the support of friends and family is crucial so we've had the people closest to you send in messages to you, and we made a montage of them. Here it is…"

Finn watched as Liam and Harry's faces came on screen first.

"Finn, we're the proudest friends in the world. We always knew you were amazing and now, everyone else is getting to see it and you're finally getting the recognition you deserve." They said.

Mr. Schue was next.

"Finn, the whole state of Ohio is behind you, more than you probably even know. I mean, you've got posters with your face on them, you've got old people knitting for you, the ice cream place we used to go to even renamed your favourite flavor after you! We're all so proud!"

Santana was next.

"My heart just bursts with pride everytime I watch you on that stage. You just give it everything you've got and I love you so much, man." She said.

Puck, Sam, Mike and Artie were next.

"I remember the Sectionals, Regionals and Nationals back in high school, and I remember just watching you solo and thinking 'what the hell is this guy doing here? He should be making albums already.' Well you've made it now and here you are, playing in front of millions of people. You blow us away, man."

George was next.

"Finn, being in Lima when you were and seeing how hard you've worked over the years is just awe-inspiring, and you've been the person that has given me the courage to follow my dreams. Thank you, and I love you so much."

At the end, Finn had to hold back tears. He couldn't believe the kind words his friends were saying about him. It was so emotional for him and it helped the fact that he had finally made it really sink in.

"Wow." Dermott said. "Clearly, although you might not have a massive family like Ella does, you certainly have loads of friends instead that are behind you, and a whole town that's behind you. What do you want to say to them?"

"Um… just thank you for supporting me all these years. I wouldn't be where I am now without each and every one of you. The emotional support from them has been unconditional and just… a lot of love to everyone who appreciates what I do."

"All right. It's all great and dandy having friends and family cheer you on but they need your votes to be able to crown Finn or Ella champions. Make sure you do that soon as up next is a guest performance but after that, we close the voting lines and reveal who our X Factor champion of 2018 is. Ladies and Gentlemen… give it up one more time for Finn Hudson!"

Finn walked off stage and when he made it to the green room, Ella was already gave him a hug.

"You did amazing, man! You're so going to win!" Ella exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"Me? You were so much better! Man, I literally almost cried listening to your performance, and that's coming from me! I've literally been told that my black sludge pumps through my veins and I have a rock for a heart I'm so emotionless!"

"To be honest, I don't even mind if you win. You deserve it just as much and we are both probably going to get record deals after this."

Finn laughed.

"Wow! Confident much?" Finn joked. Ella giggled.

"Just being realistic." She replied. "Now sit down and let's watch Rihanna."

Finn nodded and sat on the sofa next to her and their eyes turned to the TV.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, over three million of you have voted. Thank you so much but lines are now CLOSED, and will not open again until Live Week 1 of next year's show. I'm sure you want to hear who won but first, it's time for another guest. We've had this international popstar on the show before. She's never been anything other than sensational. It's the uniquely brilliant Rihanna!

_All along it was a fever_

_A cold-sweat hot-headed believer_

_I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something"_

_He said, "If you dare, come a little closer"_

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know_

_Not really sure how to feel about it_

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you_

_It takes me all the way_

_I want you to stay_

_It's not much of a life you're living_

_It's not just something you take, it's given_

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know_

_Not really sure how to feel about it_

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you_

_Yeah, it takes me all the way_

_I want you to stay_

_Ooh, ooh, ooh, the reason I hold on_

_Ooh, ooh, ooh, 'cause I need this hole gone_

_Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving_

_'Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving_

_Not really sure how to feel about it_

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you_

_Yeah, it takes me all the way_

_I want you to stay, stay_

_I want you to stay, ooh_

"WOW! Ladies and Gentlemen… Rihanna!" Dermott exclaimed. "Thank you so much for coming here, Rihanna. So the album's out now but the album's always out with you because you're always working. It's so great to have you here!"

"Anytime. I love it here."

"One more time, it's Rihanna!" Dermott exclaimed. "All right, America, this is it. Time to find out who the winner of the X Factor 2018 is. The result is in. Finn or Ella. One of them is the X Factor champion. Please welcome back your X Factor finalists… Finn and his mentor, Nicole, and Ella with her mentor, Tulisa!"

The four of them all walked on stage together.

"Judges… Contestants… this is it. The nation has voted and I'm about to reveal the winner of the X Factor 2018. Good luck to Finn and good luck to Ella."

Dermott opened the golden envelope that was in his hands, and his eyes widened when he read the name and the amount of votes the winner got.

"Oh wow. With only 53% of the vote, so barely any difference, I can reveal that the winner of the X Factor 2018 is… "


	133. Chapter 133

" _Oh wow. With only 53% of the vote, so barely any difference, I can reveal that the winner of the X Factor 2018 is… "_

Finn's heart pounded like a bass drum. If it was only a 53% win, it could definitely be either of them. Finn and Ella smiled faintly at each other.

"FINN HUDSON!"

When Finn was declared winner, his mind started spinning at a million miles an hour. He went from defeat to confusion to ecstasy to sadness for Ella, to controlled happiness within a matter of seconds. Ella, Nicole, Dermott and Tulisa all gave Finn a hug in congratulations. Once he was finally starting to get over the shock and the overwhelm he was feeling, Dermott walked over and stood next to him, holding his hand in the air as a gesture of Finn being the champion.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… your winner… Mr. Finn Hudson!" He exclaimed. "I bet you're pretty overwhelmed. What's going through your head right now?"

"I don't know." Finn said. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Man, you've come such a long way. All the way from busking in Lima. I know you didn't have the best time doing that - thinking how in the world you could get out. And now here you are. On this stage having just won the X Factor."

"Wow… I… um… I…" Finn stammered. He had no idea what to say. He was just speechless. He spied the New Directions in their VIP booth, celebrating and dancing around in glee.

"And Ella, let's have a word with you." Dermott said. "What an absolutely brilliant runner up! You have got such a bright future ahead of you and you've come such a long way in this competition, haven't you? Like the person I interviewed in week 1, I could barely get a word out of. And now, you've blossomed so much. What are your thoughts right now?"

"I just think it's such a blessing to share the stage with such a talent. You're so amazing, Finn. I'm not even that disappointed about losing, knowing that such an amazing artist ended up taking home gold. Use this platform wisely, Finn."

"Well, you know what? That goes for both of you." Dermott said. "You've been a terrific runner up. Give it up, one more time, for Ms. Ella Henderson!"

Ella and Tulisa walked off stage together but Nicole and Finn stayed on for Finn's quick post-victory chat with Dermott.

"And, here it is…" Dermott said, handing Finn a small box. Finn opened it to reveal his CD of his debut single. It was completely with the graphics on the cover designed by professional personnel and the photo taken in a professional shoot a couple of weeks ago. "His first ever single, Impossible. That's going to go out with half your earnings going to Help for Heroes. How are you feeling about that?"

"Well, you know, there are so many amazing charities out there and if I could, I'd give to every single charity, but the reason I picked this one is that it resonates with me personally. I was a veteran with severe mental health issues when I first got out, but because my situation was so unique, none of the veterans' aid I got was helpful at all. I remember how powerless I felt back then and if even just 5 veterans don't have to go through what I went through because of this donation, I'm a happy man. Thank you to all of you who voted for me. I'm so thankful."

"Listen, I know you're kind of struggling to talk because of the overwhelm you're feeling, but can you sing for us?"

"I'll give it a go." Finn laughed.

"Thank you very much. You get ready." Dermott said and then he walked over to the cameras. "So, this is where he wanted to be all those months ago when he sang Tulisa's song even better than she could, and now, he has seen off thousands of auditionees. Ladies and Gentlemen… with his debut single, Impossible, please welcome the winner of the X Factor… the gentleman that is Mr. Finn Hudson!"

_I remember years ago_

_Someone told me I should take_

_Caution when it comes to love_

_I did_

_And you were strong and I was not_

_My illusion, my mistake_

_I was careless, I forgot_

_I did_

_And now when all is done_

_There is nothing to say_

_You have gone and so effortlessly_

_You have won_

_You can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the rooftops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_All my scars are open_

_Tell them what I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Falling out of love is hard_

_Falling for betrayal is worse_

_Broken trust and broken hearts_

_I know, I know_

_Thinking all you need is there_

_Building faith on love and words_

_Empty promises will wear_

_I know, I know_

_And now when all is done_

_There is nothing to say_

_And if you're done with embarrassing me_

_On your own you can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the rooftops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_All my scars are open_

_Tell them what I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_I remember years ago_

_Someone told me I should take_

_Caution when it comes to love_

_I did_

Once Finn started singing the show-stopping final chorus, the entrance of the stage behind him opened and all of the finalists came bursting out. They rushed over to him and Finn felt himself lifted onto Kye and Rylan's shoulders in celebration as he sang. Confetti flooded down from the ceiling, sprinkling Finn and the other with flecks of gold. At this point, Nicole left the judges panel and walked on stage to join the fan.

_Tell them all I know now_

_Shout it from the rooftops_

_Write it on the sky line_

_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_

_And my heart is broken_

_(Tell them oh) I hoped would be_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

_Impossible, impossible_

At the end of the song, after being hugged by Nicole, Finn was practically piled onto by the other finalists. Finn was not only the best singer but also was one of the nicest finalists so nobody was unhappy about his victory. Well, nobody but Chris, but he wasn't present anyways.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… one more time… give it up for your winner of the 2018 X Factor… Finn Hudson!"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The next stage would be his winner's interview with the Xtra Factor, but because Ella had her runner up interview before him, Finn had about an hour and a half to kill. Rather than having a drink like many of the previous winners did, Finn just lay on the green room sofa and took a nap. Now that the competition was over and the adrenaline rush he seemed to be having for the past ten weeks was gone, Finn felt immensely tired and worn.

He was rudely woken up exactly 90 minutes later by his alarm blaring through the greenroom. Finn groaned and stood up and yawned, refreshed from his power nap. He made it to the Xtra Factor interview studio just in time. Nicole was going on with him and she smiled at him when he walked over.

"Hey, man. How'd you feel?" Nicole asked.

"Tired more than anything." Finn replied. "I did this competition because I wanted the breakthrough into the music industry but if I knew it was that much work, I'd have just volunteered for one more tour in Afghanistan." He joked. Nicole laughed.

"Yeah. The competitors usually spend their Christmas away from everything to do with the competition and just kick back and relax for a few weeks. You think you're going to do that?"

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, definitely. I still have a lot of the money I earned for Skyfall, and then now I earned a million dollars from the competition's record deal."

"You've earned more than that!" Nicole exclaimed, checking her phone. "In two hours, you have already skyrocketed to the third most bought X Factor winner's single of all time. You're number 1 in the charts. 800,000 records have already been bought which means that's half a million bucks extra in your pocket."

Finn wolf whistled.

"Damn, that awesome! Your boy is going to Bora Bora!" He exclaimed. Nicole laughed.

"You deserve it, man. And you need the rest. Take it from me: writing an album isn't as easy as you'd think."

Finn nodded.

"I'm sure that's true, but I know that whenever things get tough, I just have to think about my life before the competition and I'll shut the hell up and put my head down and work."

Nicole smiled and nodded. Before either one of them could say anything else, they heard Caroline Flack introducing them.

"It's time to welcome this year's X Factor winner and his winning mentor. Make some noise for Finn and his mentor Nicole!" Caroline exclaimed. The contestants, who were all celebrating in the studio with glasses of champagne in their hands, cheered as Finn and Nicole walked on set together. Finn was quickly handed a glass of champagne by Rylan and Finn downed it in one gulp. He needed it.

"Congratulations." The two Xtra Factor co hosts said and Finn shook hands with both of them before sitting down next to Nicole for his interview. The finalists had started chanting the chorus of 'Gold' and clapped for him as he sat down. Finn smiled to himself. Being champion sure was fun, and it was only going to get more so.

"Well, Finn, what's it like being champion?" Caroline asked.

"I honestly thought Christopher Maloney was going to win!" Finn exclaimed. The co hosts laughed. They then opened the phone lines for the public to call in and ask Finn questions.

"OK, well we've got Lisa on the line to ask you something. Lisa, are you there?" Olly asked.

"I am. Hello Olly, hello Caroline."

"Hello." They both said. "Your question for Finn please?"

"What are you going to buy with your first paycheck?" She asked.

"Ooh, good question!" Caroline exclaimed. "Finn, what are you going to buy with your first paycheck?"

"Do you mean after the bar tab tonight because that's going to be a pretty long tab!" Finn joked. "But also, I was just telling Nicole that after this incredibly stressful competition, I'm going to take a couple of weeks to unwind completely and go to a tropical island. Like Bora Bora, Hawaii or something. I might take a buddy with me as well. Um… I also obviously want a place to live here in NYC because I don't really want to be staying in Lima."

"Nicole, what are you and Finn going to do tonight to celebrate?"

"We're gonna drink!" Nicole stated. "Um… I mean I feel like Finn needs the drinks more than I do. I've kind of been celebrating the whole time, just having my three boys as my mentees."

"Awwww." Caroline said. "Finn, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to drink!" Finn laughed. "And I'm gonna sleep. I don't think I've slept more than two hours a night in the past month so I need to catch up on that! In fact, I just took a two hour nap in the green room I was so tired!"

"Ok, we've also got Maddie on the line who would like to ask you a question. Maddie, what's your question for Finn?"

"Hi guys!" Maddie exclaimed. "What's the most important thing Nicole has taught you?"

"Um… from day 1, Nicole just gave me artistic license and told me to just keep being me and not conform to traditional X Factor performances. That really stuck with me."

"Who do you feel like has been your biggest support through all of this?" Caroline asked.

"Um… definitely Nicole." Finn replied. "Approaching weeks 9 and 10, I was the only boy left so Nicole and I were spending up to 15 hours in the studio a day. I didn't really have a chance to talk to anyone else, to be honest! I'd be in the studio for 15 hours and then I'd be too tired to skype my friends after. But also, one of my biggest supporters was the contestants right behind me." Finn said, pointing to them. "It was scary for someone like me to join the X Factor and the contestant made me feel valued and welcomed and I can't thank you guys enough for that."

"One final question is from Ellis. Ellis, are you on the line?" Olly asked.

"Yeah, hey guys." Ellis said.

"Hey Ellis, what's your question for Finn?" Caroline asked.

"Finn, what was your favourite song to perform?" Ellis asked. Finn laughed.

"My favourite song? Oh, that's so hard! I loved all the songs I performed!" Finn exclaimed. "But the ones that stood out for me the most were probably first of all, Young in my first audition. That was a huge moment for me and getting the standing ovation after was insane. And also my original song that I sang in the semi finals last week. That was the song that pretty much got me to the finals and for it to be my own song was amazing for me."

"How did it feel to win tonight?" Olly asked. Finn shrugged.

"As far as I'm concerned, both me and Ella won tonight." Finn replied. "Going into the final, I thought that if I make it past Chris and force a grand final vs Ella, I've done more than good enough for myself."

"And how excited are you to begin writing your debut album?" Caroline asked. Finn smiled.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Finn exclaimed. "This is what I've been dreaming of happening my whole life and to think that it's finally happening is incredible."

"Ok, we've got one more thing to do before we wrap up the Xtra Factor for the year…" Caroline said. "As you all know, the Xtra Factor is the first to know everything. For example, we were the first to know the theme every week. #OurIdea. We're also the first to know this year's voting statistics, which I have exclusively in our hands. Dermott, come over here. You're the host. You get to hear these numbers too!" He exclaimed.

Dermott, the host, sauntered into the room and after shaking hands with Finn, he sat down next to him, ready to hear the news.

"So, in week 1 when Melanie left, the person with the most votes - 28% of the vote - was Christopher."

Everyone oohed and aahed.

"And second place was Ella." He finished.

"Week 2, MK1 left." Caroline said. "First place Christopher, second place Ella."

Everyone was slightly disbelieving at this. They knew that Christopher had been buying votes but if he was first place, how many votes could he have possibly bought!

"And in week 3, Jade left." Olly said. "First place CHristopher, second place Ella."

"In week 4, Kye left." Olly continued. "First place Christopher, second place Ella!"

"No way!" The contestants exclaimed. They knew that Ella deserved her place but seriously, Christopher? 4 weeks in a row?

"In week 5, Lucy left." Caroline said. "First place Christopher, second place Ella."

Everyone's mouths dropped. Christopher had dominated the first half of the competition. Dermott was just as shocked as the rest of them. He was only told the bottom two each week, not the top two.

"We know Finn won, right?" Dermott double checked, jokingly.

"Yeah, it's coming up." Olly said. "In week 6, District3 left. First place Christopher, second place Ella."

The whole studio started to boo. What was up with the voting?

"Week 7, Jahmene left. This was a big shock to all of us. First place Christopher, second place Ella!" Caroline exclaimed.

Finn felt like there were about to be riots in the studio at this.

"But! But! In week 8…" Olly exclaimed. "Things changed. When Rylan left, Finn won with 40% of the vote! And second place was Christopher!"

Everyone cheered as Christopher was dethroned, even if he was still second place.

"Everything seemed to change there around about week 9 when Union J left." Caroline said. "Finn absolutely smashed this week, breaking an X Factor for most votes in a non-final week. Finn won with 64% of the vote, and second place was Ella!"

Everyone cheered and wolf whistled at Finn's record breaking feat.

"And tonight's result, as you know, Finn won with just 53% of the vote so it was so close! Which means that Christopher won the shows from week 1-7, and then Finn stormed through after this point. Oh, and another record Finn broke… Finn, you are the only contestant ever to win the show after being in the bottom two!"

Finn smiled.

"What did you think of them, Dermott?" Olly asked.

"I'm shocked. I'm shocked because I thought they would be more wide open. I thought that there would be more various acts."

"Well, Dermott, on behalf of the nation, thank you for being a fantastic host this year and keeping everything together. And all 12 of you contestants, thank you for being such amazing contestants. We're pleased to announce that this year's X Factor has the highest view count ever!"

"Whoo!" The contestants cheered.

"OK, we're wrapping up the X Factor for the year. Thank you so much viewers, judges, hosts, competitors. We're already counting down to next year's competition!"

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"Everybody! Here's to my boy, Finn! After ten weeks of insanely hard work, he came out on top! He's the best of the best! Cheers!" Rylan exclaimed. All of the contestants, mentors and Finn friends were all in the bar that night, drinking and celebrating the end of the competition. Finn was holding a glass of top shelf scotch for the first time and it tasted incredible. As everyone was celebrating, Finn slid into an empty booth and drank his drink silently. As he was drinking, he felt someone slide into the booth and he looked up. It was Nicole. Finn nodded at her.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey, man. How are you doing?" Nicole asked. Finn forced a smile.

"Good." He replied. Nicole raised an eyebrow.

"Come on. Drop the act. I've known you long enough to know when you're lying." Nicole stated. Finn immediately dropped the phony smile. He sighed.

"OK, fine."

"What's up, buddy? You should be on top of the world by now! You won the X Factor!"

"Yeah, I guess. It just doesn't feel as good as I thought it would."

Nicole nodded.

"Honestly, I knew you'd say exactly that."

"You… you did?" Finn asked, confused.

"Yeah, I did. Finn, you spent the last ten weeks throwing yourself into work. You didn't have to work for 15 hours a day but you did. And there's a reason for that. You, Finn Hudson, are lonely."

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"You do realise that everyone in this bar is celebrating me, right?" Finn remarked. Nicole shook her head.

"Alone and lonely are very different. You are definitely not alone, but I do think you're feeling lonely and I know why."

Finn had stopped listening to her at this point. His eyes were trained on someone behind Nicole's shoulder. A blonde had just walked into the bar. A blonde that Finn hadn't seen in three years and he was both dying and dreading to see at the same time. It was Bella…


	134. Chapter 134

_It was Bella…_

"Finn? Finn? Earth to Finn!" Nicole exclaimed, snapping her fingers in Finn's face. Finn still ignored her though. Nicole then turned around to see what/who Finn was looking at and when she saw, realisation flooded through her face. Finn stood up and walked over to Bella. She saw him and her face paled for a brief moment before determination took over.

"Um… hi." Finn said.

"Long time." She said. Finn nodded. "You were great tonight by the way. And last night too, you were awesome."

Finn smiled.

"Thanks. Did you watch me on TV?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No, I… I was there in the arena." She replied. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Um… huh? How?" Finn asked.

"Nicole invited me. Sent me a free ticket on the condition that I come to this bar afterwards. That request makes more sense now."

As Bella was talking, Nicole slid out of the booth behind Finn and patted him on the shoulder as she walked past.

"Oh. It was you…" Finn remarked. Nicole shrugged.

"I'm your mentor. It's my job to be your eyes when you're too thick headed to see three feet in front of you. See you, Finn." She said. Finn smiled at her.

"Bye." Finn replied and Nicole walked over to Rylan and Jahmene, who were in an intense arm wrestle by the bar. Finn then turned back to Bella, who was staring at him intently.

"Do you want to go take a walk? Catch up?" Finn asked. Bella nodded and the two of them left the bar together.

Watching them from the other side of the bar were George and Santana.

"Oh, snap! My boy's about to get laid!" George remarked. Santana rolled her eyes.

"More like beaten up. Bella's gonna beat the crap out of him. Mark my words, Finn isn't getting any tonight!"

George raised an eyebrow.

"Wanna bet?"

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Meanwhile, Finn and Bella were spending the walk catching up on what they had missed in each other's lives, but only their professional ones. They had both purposely skirted around their personal issues. They had just made it to the East River and they sat down together on one of the benches.

"OK, what the hell, Finn? One of us has gotta bring it up! Why did you abandon me? After all we went through together, you dumped me by a GROUP TEXT?!"

Finn looked down in shame.

"Um… Bella, I'm so, so sorry about that. I owed you a proper breakup."

"That's great, but sorry doesn't take away the pain I felt. It doesn't take away all those nights I spent crying. It doesn't take away how you broke my damn heart, Finn!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but it's not like I was sipping mojitos by a beach when I sent that message. I had just been through the worst 2 years of my life and trust me, I was hurting just as much, if not more."

"You don't think I could have helped you?" Bella spat. "Finn, I know you better than anyone in this world. I could've helped you!"

"No, you couldn't have." Finn muttered. "I wasn't only damaged mentally, but I was a danger to myself and others around me. You don't know how many times I sat in my bed sit and pointed my gun to my temple. What if you had been there, and I pointed the gun at you instead? I would NEVER be able to forgive myself if something happened to you."

"No! You wouldn't have done anything! I could've talked you down! This was just you being scared of going through a rough patch in our relationship. You were scared of commitment so you decided to run instead!"

Finn laughed hollowly.

"You're definitely barking up the wrong tree, Bella. Trust me." He murmured, quietly.

"No, I'm not! You were scared that our relationship was getting too real so you ran away like a little bitch!"

His fight with Santana in that hotel in Hawaii came flooding back in a weird moment of deja vu. Santana had said those exact words. But this time, he wasn't going to walk away from confrontation. He was stronger now and he wasn't going to run.

"You know I was going to propose to you? When I was supposed to be discharged. I had a ring and everything. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I loved you more than a person could possibly another person. But then things beyond my control went wrong, which is why I broke up with you and ran. So don't you dare tell me that I was scared of commitment." He growled.

What Bella did next Finn couldn't have predicted in a million years. She leaned in and kissed him gently. They kissed for several moments before they broke apart.

"Damn it, why do you have to be such a good kisser?!" Bella muttered. Finn chuckled.

"Wait… are we…?" Finn's voice trailed off. Bella's gorgeous hazel eyes looked deep into his.

"I mean, you've got some serious sucking up to do but… maybe. If you want. Truth is, I tried moving on from you when we broke up but I just couldn't. You're my person, Finn, whether you like it or not. We're soulmates and kissing you just now felt so… right. I love you Finn Hudson, you dopey yet unbelievably sexy idiot."

Finn laughed.

"I love you too, Bella Sutton, you amazing, gorgeous, hilarious lady. Now, can I take you out for dinner?"

Bella shook her head.

"No." She replied. Finn's smile dropped. "Don't you have a hotel room nearby?" She asked. "I believe we have some catching up to do." She said, winking at him.

Finn's face erupted in a huge smile.

"I believe we do." He grinned back. Finn stood up and held out a hand to help Bella up with. As she took it, Finn winced in pain as Bella took it and she noticed immediately.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Finn nodded and gritted his teeth.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Old injury."

"Let me guess… some jackass hit you with his car?" Bella asked, knowingly. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"You knew it was me?" He asked. Bella nodded.

"Well, yeah. Who else would run away from me like I was physically burning them? Thank you, by the way. You saved my life that night, even if you ran away like a little girl after."

"Sorry." He replied, blushing. Bella shrugged.

"It's fine. But out of curiosity, why did you run, by the way?" She asked. Finn sighed.

"I wanted to face you, but I wanted to wait until after the competition. I didn't want to risk distracting myself. I needed to say at the very top of my game to be able to do as well as I did in the competition."

"That makes sense." Bella replied, before smiling at him. "I can't believe that my boyfriend is the X Factor champion!"

Finn smiled faintly.

"Wow. Boyfriend. I haven't heard that word said about me in years." Finn remarked. Bella smiled.

"Well, boyfriend for now. You're going to have to spoil me for the next little while to make up for dumping me before."

Finn laughed.

"I think I can do that. We're here." He said, and they stopped outside a random apartment building. Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Um… this doesn't look like the X Factor hotel I've seen on TV." Bella said, nervously. Finn sighed.

"Yeah, I had to check out of the hotel this morning. I'm renting an AirBnB for the next little while until I buy a place. Here, come on. Let's go." He said, taking her hand and leading her into the building.

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"Wow, Finn. When you said you were renting an AirBnB, I didn't think you meant the penthouse!" Bella exclaimed as they stepped inside. Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I'm still getting used to the star treatment, myself; Everything truly is bigger and better up here. Flat Screen TV, a bar in the apartment, a bigger, more comfortable bed." Finn whispered the last part in her ear. Bella smiled.

"Lead the way." She purred back, following him into the bedroom. They made love that night. Several times. Being with Bella again felt so amazing. This truly was the best night of his life. The X Factor win seemed like a millennia ago. After Finn and Bella had completely worn each other out, they settled to sleep. As Bella fell asleep with her head resting against his chest, Finn looked down at the angel next to him. How had he gotten so lucky? It was like after all the crap he had gone through in his life, the stars were finally realigning. His career and his love life were perfect. Little did he know that something that happened the next was going to change that.

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The next morning, at almost midday, Bella woke up with a goofy smile on her face. She was finally back with… wait, where was Finn? He wasn't beside her! She started to panic. Had he seriously slept with her and then had regrets? Was there something about her that wasn't good enough? Her panics were immediately cut off as Finn entered the room, a tray in his hands. Bella inhaled the sublime scent and sighed in ecstasy. When Finn noticed that she was awake, he smiled at her.

"Good morning, babe. How'd you sleep?" He asked, leaning down and kissing her. She smiled and kissed him back.

"Amazingly. Although I have to admit, I am kind of feeling the aftermath of last night."

Finn blushed.

"Sorry about that." He murmured, looking down. Bella giggled.

"Don't worry. I don't regret it one bit." She replied.

"I'm glad. And hopefully, breakfast in bed will help." He said. Bella beamed as Finn laid the delectable tray of food on her lap. As Finn looked into her eyes, he saw nothing but pure love and he knew, beyond all doubt, that that woman in front of him was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He just needed to not screw up and hold onto that woman and he'd be okay.

"Hey babe." Finn said. "Crazy idea… have you ever been to Bora Bora?"


	135. Chapter 135

One week later and Finn was flying high. Everything in his life was perfect. His X Factor winner's single had skyrocketed to the biggest X Factor Single of all time and was still number 1 on the charts. In addition, it had passed the 1.5 million mark in terms of copies sold, meaning that Finn had pocketed 750k. However, there was one unfortunate issue. Halfway through the week, Ella had caught a pretty severe stomach bug and hadn't been feeling too great all week. Finn had spent almost every moment by her side, holding her hair back as she threw up, getting her anything she needed when she was too sick or tired to get out of bed. Finn didn't even care if he caught it. As long as Bella was okay, he was happy.

On the 17th December, Finn had one final radio interview with Kiss FM.

"Hey babe, text me if you need anything, okay? I'll be here in a heartbeat." He said, kissing her on the cheek. Bella, wrapped up in blankets, smiled. She had won the lottery with Finn. Finn waved to her as he walked out the door and into his car.

Twenty minutes later, he had arrived in the Kiss FM studio, ready for his interview. Soon, they were on the air and the radio interview started.

"What's up, man. How are you?" One of the hosts (Mike) asked.

"I'm good. It's a pleasure to be here." Finn said. "I've been listening to the show my whole life."

"You know? We are so grateful that you won!" one of the other hosts (Lisa) exclaimed.

"Thank you."

"I know everyone's probably saying this, but we have been flying the flag for you from the very beginning." Mike said. Finn smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I've actually heard that now from a couple of people. I really appreciate it."

"So now that you've won the X Factor, what is the most bizarre thing that's happened to you in the past few days?"

"Do you know? I always find the bizarre thing when you walk out of a hotel or something, there's people clamboring to give you their twitter or Instagram handle. I try to respond to every message I get but I got messages from 989 people yesterday alone."

"Finn, I've gotta ask something and you've gotta answer it honestly. I know you didn't think you were going to make it to the finals, but honestly, where did you think you would end up? Because you must have known you were good enough to get to a certain point!" Lisa said.

"Well, I mean, you get into this X Factor bubble and you really don't get much of a feeling of what's going on outside. I've watched this show over the years and I always felt that I had the potential to make it to the live shows at least, but the minute you walk into that audition studio and see how many people are there, all of that goes away. But I mean, I guess the frontrunners were always Jahmene and Ella and I thought maybe if I came like in the Union J, Lucy kind of space like 5th or 6th, I'd be happy with myself."

"WHAT? Mike exclaimed. "I've gotta disagree with you, brother. I saw you at judge's houses and I was like this kid is going somewhere! I want him to win! I want him to be in the final!"

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Finn said.

"And then when the showdown came between you and Jahmene, I was like this is sad, but it's still going to be a great show!"

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, I've gotta say. In my opinion, not to sound cocky or anything but this year's X Factor was the best year yet. Not just because I've been involved in it, but I've heard all of the acts' raw, original material as well. At the beginning of the competition, predicting a final three was near impossible because there were so many class talents."

"Who were you worried about?"

"Well, I feel like people tended to pit me and Lucy against each other so I was always subconsciously worried about splitting votes with her. But I feel like going in, my two main worries were actually Union J and Christopher to make it to the final. They had, by far, the biggest fan backing at the beginning of the live shows. But I think everyone in this competition was incredible."

"Right, and it must have been scary when people started going out of the competition so early that we didn't think would be going out."

Finn nodded.

"Yeah, there were a couple of shocks there. Especially when I found out I was against Jahmene in the bottom 2. I was literally like should I pack my bags now or what?"

"Really?" Mike said.

"Yeah. I was scared as hell for that."

"If you could rank who you thought the order was going to be in the competition from first to twelfth, what would it be?" Lisa asked.

"Do you mean in terms of singing quality or in terms of who would get further in the competition?"

"Let's do the best singers from 1-12. Who would it be?"

"Well, first is Jahmene. Nobody's touching him. Then, would be District3."

"Really?" Mike asked, shocked. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, we would do late night jam sessions sometimes. Their harmonies… oh my god! Incredible!"

"Yeah, so District3 second. Who would be third?"

"Again, this is kind of controversial given that she was out first, but Melanie. I think she had one of the best voices in the competition but she just didn't have the fan base."

"Interesting. Who is next?"

"Well fourth would be Ella. Fifth would be me. Sixth would be Union J. Seventh would be Kye. Eighth, Lucy. Ninth, Christopher. Tenth, Jade. Eleventh, MK1. And I'm so sorry, I love Rylan so much but his voice isn't the best." Finn finished. "He's by far number 1 at entertainment though."

"That's interesting. A very interesting order" Lisa said. "So now that you've won, have you spoken to the big man yet… Mr. Simon Cowell?"

Finn laughed.

"It's funny you should say that because he rang me while I was literally on my way here."

"No way!" Mike exclaimed. "What did he say?"

"He was just like 'Hello Finn, it's Simon' in his very posh British voice. I was so confused. I was just like excuse me?"

"Is this the first time you'd spoken to him?"

"On the phone, yeah. I had no idea how he got my number so I thought it was a prank. I thought it was one of my buddies messing with me. It came from an unknown number and I wasn't convinced it was actually Simon. I eventually was like 'whoever this actually is, please fuck off' and I hung up the phone. It was then that I realised how similar their voices actually sounded and that it may well have actually been Simon. Not a great way to start off my relationship with my new boss!"

"Yeah, no kidding!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Yeah, so I called him back and apologised profusely. He just laughed. He basically just said that it was a pleasure having me on the show and he congratulated me on breaking a couple of records both on the show and with my winner's single, which if you haven't heard already, go buy or stream it now. Impossible, available now on all streaming services. Then he started talking about the insane figures I made for this song."

"Wow, all about the figures, huh Simon!" Mike joked.

"Nah, he was actually being very complimentary actually. It was very humbling to speak to him."

"So Finn, my favourite part of the show was when you sang that original song in the semi finals. Are we looking at similar songs in your debut album?"

Finn thought for a moment.

"Well, I want my debut album to be as musically ranged as possible. I've been writing songs of all genres for the past twenty years and I just can't wait to actually finally start putting my ideas on paper."

"What was your highlight of the competition?" Lisa asked.

"Um… probably working with Nicole. She's genuinely down to earth and really nice, and just being part of the X Factor in general was amazing. Meeting all the contestants and becoming friends with them. Going to Disneyland Paris! Performing with One Direction in Boston on tour. Recording a song for the new James Bond movie. Going to the Endgame premier. Visiting Dubai. So many amazing experiences were crammed into that short, ten week period."

"Now Finn, I know you're a modest guy but don't hold back on this one, all right?"

"I'll try." Finn laughed.

"How many requests have you had from big artists to collaborate with you?"

Finn laughed.

"I'm going to be honest. Quite a few." Finn replied. "Um… Emile Sande requested a collaboration. Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars all approached me either in person, over the phone or through Nicole and the competition."

"That's ridiculous!" Lisa exclaimed. "That's incredible! You and Ed Sheeran together on a track is just a God combo."

"You're telling me? People have to tell me to shut up about him, sometimes. Apparently, I talk about him too much."

"And I've got a sneaky feeling that Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger would both want to do a track with you."

"You know what? If either of them want to do a track with me, I'd be more than happy."

"Because Gary was bigging you up right from the beginning, right?"

"Yeah. I think he helped me out, you know? I think he got me a lot of votes."

"If you had Tulisa, Louis or Gary as your mentor, do you think you would've won the show?"

"Well, who knows? All I know is that Nicole was the perfect mentor and she really gave me artistic license and let me roam free and do what I wanted to do. If I was starting to be pressured by the producers into doing a specific song, she would step in and be like No, he's not doing that, man! She helped me get where I am today."

"She's so nice too, right?" Lisa said.

"Yeah, she's so nice. So cool. She's the only American judge too so she was on her home turf."

"You can see that the two of you had a really good bond." Mike pointed out. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, I mean we were sending up to 15 hours a day in the studio together. We had to really be in sync with our mentors."

"How did you react when you found out she was your mentor?"

"Well, you know, at first I could barely look her in the eye. She was such a huge pop star and she would just chat with me like she's just another friend. I would have to stop and remind myself sometimes who exactly she is and how massive she is in the industry, because she made such an effort to become friends with her mentees, she was just like our friend."

"And I'm sure the fact that she's stupidly hot doesn't help, huh?"

Finn laughed.

"Exactly!"

"Now Finn, who are you kissing under the mistletoe this Christmas? Anyone you want."

"Well, I mean, my girlfriend obviously." Finn laughed.

"Damn it, Finn. I thought you were going to say me, there!" Lisa joked and Finn laughed.

"All right. Congratulations on winning the X Factor! Thank you so much for coming in, Finn."

"It was a pleasure to be here."

After his interview, Finn drove home with a smile on his face. He was so used to talking to the media by now, it had become second nature. He took the elevator up to the penthouse and when he walked in, he dropped his bag…

Bella was sitting on the sofa, crying. Finn ran over to her.

"Babe, are you okay?" He asked, concerned. She nodded and took a deep breath.

"Um… sit down, babe. I need to talk to you about something." She said. Finn, worriedly, took a seat opposite her.

"Is everything okay?" Finn asked.

"So, I found out why I've been sick lately, and it turns out it's not a stomach bug." She said.

"Oh my god! Is everything all right?"

"Finn… I…. I'm pregnant."


	136. Chapter 136

_"Finn… I…. I'm pregnant."_

Finn's jaw dropped.

"You're pregnant?" He asked. Bella trembled and nodded. "Are you sure?"

"I took 4 tests. They all came back positive." She stammered. Finn tried to process the bombshell he had just been laid on him. Bella was pregnant! In 9 months, he was going to have a child! Wait… it was his child, right? A horrible thought dawned on Finn. What if Bella was using him like Quinn did all those years ago? What if the only reason she was sleeping with him and wanted to get back together was because she already knew that she was pregnant and wanted to trick him into taking care of someone else's baby?

"Um… Bella. I'm not accusing you of anything, nor trying to offend you with this question, but I've been through this before so I've gotta ask. Are you sure it's mine?"

"Yes, it's yours. Definitely yours." She replied.

"Look, Bella, I wouldn't judge you if it isn't. We technically didn't get together until earlier this week so what went on before is none of my business."

"Finn, honey, it's definitely yours. I haven't… been intimate with anyone in my life."

Finn looked down and took a deep breath. 5 minutes ago, the most pressing thought on his mind was what they were going to get for dinner. Now, his world had been completely shaken. Finally, almost a minute later, he found his voice.

"I don't believe it…" His voice trailed off. Bella accidentally misinterpreted that to mean that Finn was angry and unhappy and still didn't believe that it was his baby. She immediately got on the defensive.

"Look, if you're too bull-headed and stubborn that you still think this is your baby, I can raise it on my own!" She shouted. "I come from a very long line of strong women whose husbands are nowhere to be found!"

"Are you done?" Finn asked, quietly, contrasting Bella's yells.

"YES!" She shouted.

"Can I say something?" He asked.

"OK!" She shouted.

"This is the best news I've ever heard." He replied. Bella was taken aback.

"It is? You're happy about this?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be a dad! How can I not be? This is the best day of my life!" Finn exclaimed. Bella's jaw dropped.

"What? But this is so not planned!" Bella said, starting to freak out. She had started crying again and was pacing around the living room in worry. Finn stood up and took her hands in his

"It might not be planned, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. We're both in a stable financial condition, we both live in the same city, we're probably going to be together for the rest of our lives. Would having a baby really be that bad? There's not really going to be a better time."

Bella smiled and wiped her eyes. She leaned in and kissed Finn.

"I love you so much." Bella murmured against his lips. Finn smiled back.

"I love you too. And just think, by Thanksgiving, we'll have a kid with us."

Bella nodded.

"Yeah. You know, we better make the most of this trip to Bora Bora because after that, when the pregnancy truly hits, we're going to be at each other's throats!"

Finn laughed.

"Nah, I have no right to ask anything of you for the next 9 months. While you're carrying our baby, I'm basically your bitch. I'll do whatever you want me to."

"Well, I can think of something to start with." Bella smirked, pulling him onto the sofa and rolling on top of him. Finn was still in shock about Bella's pregnancy, but he was happier than he had ever been his whole life. He was even happier than when he won the X Factor a fortnight ago.

Finn had no idea what was going to happen in the next 9 months. Not everything w but he knew that with the right people, he could handle everything and Bella Sutton was the right person for him.


	137. 9 Months Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9 Months later, Bella is about to pop. She is nearing the end of her pregnancy and Finn is nearing the end of production of his debut album.

**9 Months Later**

9 months later, Finn's life was unrecognisable from the life he used to live. First of all, he was already the biggest singer on the planet, releasing 3 singles from his upcoming debut album and all three of them hitting number 1 in the charts and staying there for at least a month each.

In his personal life, after his and Bella's amazing three week long retreat in Bora Bora, he had bought a house in the suburb of Queens - a twenty minute driving distance away from his recording studio in Manhattan - and Bella had moved in with him around three months into her pregnancy. They were basically a married couple already: they trusted each other 1000%; they had a joint bank account; and due to Bella's pregnancy, they spent most of their evenings on the couch. Bella was just about ready to pop. She was 1 week away from her due date and she wasn't really leaving the house very much.

Finn was spending most of his time with Bella but unfortunately, he had to leave her one night for his album release party. All of his hard work over the past 9 months had culminated in this moment. He had released three number 1 singles so far and was hoping for maybe a few more top ten singles and definitely a number 1 album. The whole world was waiting in excited anticipation for his album and his social media was blowing up with messages and tags from fans. Finn now had 30 million Instagram followers and 25 million twitter followers so he was one of the most influential music artists in the world, and a few companies took advantage of that by offering him sponsorships. Finn had signed huge endorsement deals with Skittles, Samsung and Off White, earning him almost 50% of his already massive income.

10 minutes before Nicole was meant to pick him up to take him to the album release party, Finn stepped out of his bedroom dressed in a formal suit. Finn and Nicole had kept up an extremely strong friendship after the X Factor. She wasn't only the first person that he played all of his new music to, but she was also the person he always turned to for advice. Her latest advice was about a small black box in Finn's breast pocket. Bella wolf whistled from her place on the sofa as Finn entered the living room. She stood up and pulled Finn into a kiss.

"Damn, babe! If I wasn't pregnant, I'd have you right here right now." She purred. Finn kissed her and helped her back onto the sofa.

"Well, you're nine months pregnant. Think about it. In a week, we're going to have a baby girl."

They had found out the sex of the baby around halfway through Bella's pregnancy and although Finn was overjoyed no matter gender the baby was, he was secretly hoping for a boy. It would be so much easier to connect with him and they would have way more common interests. However, that didn't change the fact that Finn was going to love his little girl with every fibre of his being, and he and Bella both agreed that for their next kid, they were hoping for a boy. That's right! They were already talking about that kind of stuff!

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Finn walked over to the door and opened it. It was Quinn. She gave him a hug and walked inside.

"Wow, Hudson. You don't look half bad! Who knew there was a side of you that doesn't wear track pants and tattered hoodies?"

Finn laughed.

"Great to see you too, Fabray." He replied.

"Are you excited for tonight?" She asked as they walked back into the living room where Bella was waiting. Finn shrugged.

"Kind of, I guess." Finn replied. Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? You've been busting your ass off for the past 10 months. You should be over the moon!"

Finn smiled.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm so excited that my hard work has finally paid off, and I'm so glad that it perfectly lined up so that I'd have vacation time to help with the baby, I'm just worried that something's going to happen between now and when I get back and I'm not here for it."

"Finn, go!" Bella exclaimed. "You've taken such amazing care of me these past 8-9 months. You deserve a night off!"

"Yeah, and besides, Bella and I are going to have a fun time too, and I'll call you if anything happens." Quinn added. "Oh, by the way, there's a limo outside here for you."

Finn nodded and stood up. He kissed Bella and hugged Quinn before walking towards the door.

"Bye guys! Call me if anything happens!" Finn said.

"Bye! Love you! Good luck tonight!" Bella exclaimed as he walked out the door.

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When Finn stepped outside, he immediately spotted a black limo roll up in front of him. Finn stepped inside and he smiled widely when he saw who was in the limousine. Nicole - as expected - was there, but Ella and Rylan were both grinning at him! Since the X Factor, Ella had gotten her own record deal and was releasing her debut album in 2 months time. Rylan, on the other hand, had fulfilled his dream of becoming a television personality by becoming Caroline's new co host on the upcoming next season of the X Factor! Finn shuffled over to them and hugged them.

"You guys! What are you doing here?" He exclaimed.

"Don't you remember what we said on that roof 9 months ago? We're always going to spend the big moments together. I think this qualifies as a big moment." Ella said.

"Well, thank you so much for being here. It means so much to me!"

"Oh, a couple more people RSVP'd yes as well." Nicole said. "Unfortunately, Jade couldn't make it. She's still in L.A for her modelling gig. But Union J and One Direction are both coming tonight!"

Union J were the other main success story after the X Factor - other than Finn of course. They had built themselves up to rival One Direction as the top boy band of the generation. In fact, people were calling it the modern day Backstreet Boys vs NSync. Finn and Union J's follow up singles after the show spent two months tussling for top spot on the charts - one week, Finn would be first and Union J second; the next Union J first and Finn second. This lasted for 9 whole weeks before they finally dropped a bit further in the charts.

"That's awesome!" Finn exclaimed. He then pulled out his phone and checked it for messages from Bella. No new messages. Everyone groaned.

"Seriously? The guy who spent ten weeks during the X Factor demanding that we put down our phones spends five minutes with us and then checks his?"

Finn laughed.

"Sorry!" He exclaimed. "It's just… I'm scared Bella's going to go into labor and I'm going to miss a message."

They nodded, understanding.

"OK, fine. You're excused this time, Hudson!"

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"OK, you've really gotta put that down! People are thinking that you're awaiting a call about cancer or something." Nicole said, taking Finn's phone out of his hand despite his protests.

"Nicole, I've gotta…"

"Yes, I'm well aware that you've got a pregnant girlfriend. But you can't just stare at your phone all night. You're going to look back and regret it a couple of months from now. Trust me… your debut album party only comes once."

Finn sighed and powered off his phone.

"Fine." He muttered in reply.

"Ladies and Gentlemen…" Nicole announced, tinkling her glass of champagne to get everyone's attention. They were in the ballroom of the Ritz Carlton in downtown Manhattan and Finn spotted familiar faces everywhere. "If I could say a few words about the gentleman standing beside me. When I first met Finn Hudson on the X Factor a year ago, I immediately saw something special in him. He was not only one of the most talented artists of the generation, but he's by far the most hardworking one too. He's worked so hard, not only one the show, but during the 9 months after. He deserves every penny that he receives for his songs and it's an honor for me to be able to call this man my friend. I love you, Finn."

"Love you too, Nicole." Finn replied.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" Everyone started chanting. Finn turned, blushing, to Nicole and she merely shrugged at him.

"Go on." She said.

"Um…" Finn stammered. "For those of you who don't know, I'm not too great with words. I know how to talk about exactly three things: sports, music and military so this should be an interesting speech. You know, Nicole talked about how I work hard, and that's great but she missed out a fair bit too. I shouldn't be the only one receiving praise and thanks. Every single person in this room has helped me build my career, whether it be during the X Factor or after. You can't win a football game with just the quarterback: you need everyone to slot into the roles perfectly. Just like you can't survive a military deployment without your whole platoon. You all played your parts in the creation of this album perfectly. All those it may be my face on the cover of the album, all of you should receive the credit you deserve. Thank you to all of you. I love you guys. Cheers!" He exclaimed.

"Cheers!" They all replied and took a sip from their champagne.

After another hour and a half of mingling with the guests and he had drunk 5 glasses of champagne, Nicole walked over to him.

"See, looking up from the screen wasn't so hard, was it? Now you can look at your phone!" She said. Finn nodded and took out his phone. Once he took it out, his eyes widened and he almost dropped it.

"What?" Nicole asked.

"Bella… she's in labor!"


	138. Chapter 138

" _What?" Nicole asked._

_"Bella… she's in labor!"_

Nicole's jaw dropped.

"What… she's… she's in labor?" Nicole asked. Finn nodded and started frantically grabbing his stuff.

"I need to go!" Finn exclaimed. Nicole ran after him and grabbed his car keys out of his hands.

"Finn, you've had 5 glasses of champagne. You're not getting behind the wheel!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Nicole, I've gotta go! My girlfriend is having my baby!" Finn shouted. Nicole nodded.

"I know. That's why I'm driving you!" Nicole replied. Finn smiled and handed her the keys. They burst out of the ballroom and ran through the hotel lobby - ignoring the fans that were gawking and pointing at them. When they ran out into the street, Finn's heart dropped when he realised something…

Today was the day of presidential rallies on the streets of downtown Manhattan, so the majority of the roads had been closed. There was no way to get to Queens! Politically charged people were all on the streets, chanting their messages to support their respective party. Finn swore and kicked a trash can next to him.

"FUCK! I'm going to miss the birth of my child!" He yelled. Nicole felt so bad. There was literally nothing she could do to help him. Unless…

"I have an idea! Follow me!" She exclaimed. Finn ran alongside her until they reached a policeman, who was riding a police horse.

"Excuse me, officer. Can I have your horse?" Nicole asked. The officer raised an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding me, ma'am?" The officer laughed, assuming they were joking around.

"I assure you I'm not. Please can we have your horse? My friend's girlfriend is going into labor in Queens and unless he rides a police horse to Queens, there's no way he's going to make it in time for the birth of his child!" Nicole pleaded. The officer chuckled.

"Do you know how many times I've heard that excuse today alone?" He asked.

"0?" Nicole guessed.

"6." The officer replied. "So sorry, but no dice."

Finn started to turn away, defeated, but Nicole wasn't giving up yet. She grabbed the officer by the scruff of his collar and yanked him close to her.

"Listen to me, punk." She growled. "Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? That man is Finn Hudson and I'm Nicole Scherzinger. We are some of the most powerful celebrities in the city so you do NOT want us as your enemies. I swear to god, _officer…_ " She spat the last word out sarcastically. "If you do not let us borrow that damn mule, I will shove that police baton so far up your ass that you're feeling splinters in your stool a fucking month from now!"

The policeman trembled slightly and got off his horse.

"Here. Take her! She's yours!"

The officer then ran away.

"That was easy." Nicole remarked. Finn shook his head.

"Look, Nicole, I really appreciate this, but I have no idea how to ride a horse, nor do I know how to get to Queens from here. It's over. I might as well just give up. I'm going to miss the birth of my daughter."

"No, you're not!" Nicole exclaimed, throwing herself onto the horse and holding a hand out to help Finn up. "Because I'm going to help you. I'm going to drive this mutt all the way to the hospital or my name isn't Nicole Scherzinger."

Finn didn't have to be told twice. He clambered onto the horse behind Nicole and he prayed to God that he arrived in one piece. If anything happened, at least his destination was a hospital!

"Good, now let's go! Spank it!"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Um… Nicole, I'm flattered, but I have a girlfriend…"

"Not me, you dumbass! The horse!" She laughed. "Slap the horse's ass and hold on tight."

"Um… okay?" Finn said, confused. He slapped the horse's butt and immediately, the horse bucked and took off.

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Meanwhile, Bella and Quinn had just made it to the hospital. Bella was put in a wheelchair and was wheeled inside by one of the nurses. Quinn ran alongside them.

"Q, did you manage to reach Finn?" Bella asked, crying out in pain. She was quickly wheeled into the private ward where she would be spending the next little while.

"No, I'm sorry. He's not picking up! I'm sorry!" Quinn replied, calling Finn for possibly the hundredth time.

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"My phone's ringing!" Finn exclaimed as he clung onto Nicole's waist to avoid being thrown off the galloping horse. He tried to grab it out of his pocket but at that moment, the horse decided to rear in the middle of the street. Nicole was thrown backwards and Finn had to drop his phone to help prevent her from falling off the horse. The phone slipped out of his hand and he vaguely saw it fall into a manhole. "Damn it!" Finn exclaimed, angrily.

"Sorry, Finn!" She cried, apologetically. Finn shrugged.

"It wasn't your fault. Can this stupid fat-ass animal go any faster?" Finn asked, digging his heels into its sides in frustration. It took off like a jet on a runway.

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"Ms. Sutton. You're at 10 centimeters. It's time to move you into the delivery room. Are you ready to have your baby?"

"No… my… my boyfriend! He's not here yet!" Bella exclaimed, and then turned to Finn. "Did you ever…"

Quinn shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I couldn't reach him."

Bella couldn't believe it. She knew how excited Finn was to see the birth of their daughter, but it's not like she could hold the baby in any longer.

"OK, let's do this." She said reluctantly.

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After what seemed like an eternity, Finn, Nicole and their dumbass horse charged into Queens and towards the hospital. They made it to the hospital fifteen minutes later, and Nicole forced the horse to a halt in front of the hospital entrance.

"Finn, GO! I'll find somewhere to put the horse!" Nicole exclaimed. Finn nodded and jumped off the horse. Once he was off, he almost fell over. He could barely move his legs. He felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his groin area and then forced him onto a mechanical bull for an hour. He somehow managed to stumble into the hospital. He looked like actual crap: he had lost his tie at some point as Nicole had used it as a makeshift muzzle for the horse; his shirt was untucked and dirty; and his pants were all tattered. He sprinted to the reception desk of the hospital.

"Where's Bella?" Finn demanded.

"Pardon me?" The receptionist asked, confused.

"Bella Sutton. My girlfriend. Where is she?" He asked again. The nurse smiled reassuringly.

"She's on floor 6 in the delivery room."

Finn heard the words delivery room, and he barrelled towards the elevators and stairs. All of the elevators were too slow so Finn opted to take the stairs. He flew up twelve flights and eventually made it to the 6th floor. He saw Quinn immediately and he ran over and almost collapsed. Quinn's eyes widened.

"Wow! What happened to you?" She asked.

"Long story. Involves a horse. Where's Bella?" Finn asked. Quinn pointed to a room down the hall and Finn ran over to it.

"WHERE'S FINN?" He heard Bella scream from inside the room. He barged in, panting heavily.

"I'm here! I'm here!" He said, limping over to you.

"Baby! Are you okay? You look like you've been back to Afghanistan!" Bella exclaimed. Finn chuckled.

"Long story. I'll tell you, later. But I'm here now and… OH MY GOD is that the head?!" Finn exclaimed. The doctor nodded.

"Yup, the baby's crowning. Bella, when I tell you, you've gotta push. Ready… set… PUSH!"

Gripping Finn's hand like a vice, Bella pushed several times with all her might and 5 minutes later, they held their child for the first time. There was one surprise though. Their 'daughter' was actually a son! The doctors had read the ultrasound wrong apparently. Not that Finn or Bella were going to complain. They were just so overwhelmed and happy. A few lone tears leaked out of Finn's eyes as he held his son for the first time.

"You are the love of my life." He whispered to him. "Everything I have and everything I am is yours forever."

Bella also started crying with joy and happiness as she held her son and the baby fed from her for the first time.

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An hour later, Finn and Nicole were standing at the corner of the hospital room, watching their angel sleep peacefully in the crib.

"He's so handsome." Bella whispered. Finn nodded.

"Yeah, he is. He's clearly got your family's genes." Finn replied. Bella kissed him gently.

"Thank you, Finn." She said. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"What are you thanking me for? I should be the one thanking you. You went through the toughest 9 months of your life for this baby."

"They weren't." Bella said.

"Huh?" Finn asked.

"They weren't the toughest nine months of my life." Bella replied. "The toughest nine months were nine of the months I did get to spend with you. No matter how much my feet, ankles or stomach swelled up, and no matter how many mood swings I got, it would all be okay because I knew I always had you."

Finn kissed her gently.

"I love you so much, Bella Sutton." He whispered.

"I love you more." She replied.

"Not possible." He commented.

"So, what should we call him?" Bella asked. Finn's eyes widened.

"A name! I knew we had forgotten to do something!"

Bella laughed.

"Don't worry, babe. We've got time." She said. "I mean, not a lot of time because… he's here."

"You know, there's one thing I didn't forget." Finn said. Finn took her hand and they walked to the other side of the hospital room.

"Finn, what are you doing?" Bella asked.

"I've been wanting to do this for a really long time. But I wanted to wait until the baby got here. I love you, Bella. I have always loved you and I will always love you and baby to be named later."

Finn got down on one knee and took out the engagement ring Nicole had helped him pick out a couple of weeks ago.

"Bella Lauren Sutton, will you make me the happiest man in the world and do me the honor of being my wife?"

"You sure? Because you know I have a baby, right?" She joked.

"I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. Marry me." He said.

"Yes. Absolutely yes I will marry you, Finn, I love you."

Finn slipped the ring onto Bella's finger and the two of them kissed. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Bella called and Nicole and Quinn walked in. When they walked in, their jaws dropped.

"Wait… Finn… did you just…" Nicole asked. Finn nodded.

"And Bella… did you say…" Quinn asked. Bella nodded.

"We're engaged!" She exclaimed.

"Son of a biscuit, you actually did it! I was convinced you were going to chicken out at the last moment!" Nicole exclaimed. Finn laughed.

"Wow, thanks for the faith!" He remarked.

"Wait, you knew about it?" Bella asked, surprised. Nicole nodded.

"Well… yeah. Who do you think helped him pick out the ring? I'll tell you there's no way Finn could've picked something like this on his own!"

Bella laughed.

"That's true."

"Yeah, I was totally sure Finn was going to back out too! He seemed so scared earlier!" Quinn added. Bella raised an eyebrow.

"You knew too? And you didn't tell me?"

"Well… yeah. Finn made me keep it a surprise. He wouldn't have told me at all but he had no idea what the hell a ring size was so I gave him one of the rings I borrowed from you to use as a model."

Bella's jaw dropped.

"You guys did all of that for me?" She asked.

"You're worth it." Quinn replied. "Now, have you guys decided on a name yet?"

Finn and Bella smiled at each other.

"Actually, we have." Finn said. "Our baby is going to be named after the person who brought Bella and I back together, and who saved my life countless times and is my best friend in the world. Meet baby Nicholas Hudson."

Tears sprang to Nicole's eyes as Finn carefully passed her the baby and she held her name-sake. The boy was adorable. Nicole quickly handed him back to Bella.

"Here before I cry on your baby!" She exclaimed. Finn gave her a hug.

"And, not to be outdone, but we took the middle name of the person who's been by my side every step of the way of way. Quinn you're my best friend in the world and that's why we're taking your middle name (Lucy) and are officially naming our son Nicholas Luke Hudson." Bella added, looking at her best friend.

Quinn started crying at this point.

"Oh, and one more thing." Finn said. "God forbid something bad happens to Bella and I, we want you both to be the godparents of our son. We want him to stay in the family and let's face it… you guys are our family."

"Damn it, Finn, you're going to make me cry again!" Nicole exclaimed, fanning her eyes. As Finn held his son, he thought about how every moment in his entire life led up to this beautiful moment. He would go through every single nightmare - the suicidal mother, the abusive father, the 7 years of homelessness, the 6 months in foster care, the murder of Carole, the 4 months spent in Hawaii, the break up with Bella, the enlistment in the Army, being taken as a POW, coming back to the nightmare that was Lima - if it meant having this amazing of an experience again.

"We did it, babe." Bella whispered to him as they held their baby. Finn smiled.

"Yeah, we did."


End file.
